Manipur is in deep mourning following the tragic loss of two young flight attendants, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma and Lamnunthem Singson, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The crash, involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London's Gatwick Airport, occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, claiming over 200 lives and injuring dozens more.
Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, a 22-year-old Meitei woman from Thoubal district in the Imphal Valley, and Lamnunthem Singson, a 28-year-old Kuki woman from Kangpokpi district, were both members of the cabin crew on the ill-fated flight AI171. News of the crash sent shockwaves through their families and communities, with relatives and neighbors gathering at their homes, desperately seeking information.
Nganthoi Sharma had long dreamed of flying. She joined Air India in April 2023, after being selected through campus recruitment at DM College of Commerce in Imphal. According to her elder sister, Gitanjali, Nganthoi had messaged her just before takeoff, mentioning she was flying to London and would be unreachable due to internet restrictions. Those words would be the last her family heard from her. Nganthoi's parents, K. Nandeshkumar and his wife, are reportedly in a state of shock and unable to speak.
Details about Lamnunthem Singson are scarce, but it is known that her family had been displaced by the ethnic conflict and were residing in the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district.
The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of grief and condolences from across Manipur and the entire northeastern region. Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh expressed his sorrow on X, stating, "It is heartbreaking to share that two young cabin crew members from Manipur, Kongrabailatpam Nganthoi Sharma and Lamnunthem Singson, were among those who lost their lives in today's Air India crash in Ahmedabad. Both were full of life, serving with dedication and pride. Their sudden passing is a huge loss for their families, friends, and for all of us back home. May their souls rest in peace and may their loved ones find the strength to get through this unimaginable pain."
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla also conveyed his condolences, praying for the speedy recovery of those injured in the mishap. Chief Ministers of other northeastern states, including Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Mizoram, also expressed their shock and grief over the devastating plane crash.
As the investigation into the cause of the crash gets underway, the families of Nganthoi Sharma and Lamnunthem Singson, along with the loved ones of all the victims, are left to grapple with unimaginable loss. The state of Manipur mourns the promising lives cut short, remembering the two young women who served with dedication and pride, their dreams now tragically unfulfilled.
