The Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025, has plunged families into mourning and left a trail of devastation. As investigations into the cause of the crash continue, stories of the passengers and crew on board are emerging, painting a poignant picture of lives tragically cut short. Among them is Anju Sharma, a 55-year-old woman from Kurukshetra, Haryana, whose last WhatsApp status has become a haunting reminder of the fragility of life.
Anju was traveling to London to visit her elder daughter, Nimmi Sharma. She had previously lived in Vadodara with her family after marrying Pawan Sharma, who worked in the oil industry. Sadly, Pawan passed away some years ago. Anju was a warm and cheerful person, remembered by her family as the pillar of support who always kept them together.
Just before boarding the doomed Air India flight, Anju updated her WhatsApp status with the lyrics of a Hindi song, "Aadmi Ek Khilona Hai," which translates to "Man is but a toy." The somber line now carries a heavy weight, reflecting a possible premonition or a philosophical contemplation on the unpredictable nature of fate. The status update, intended for her family and friends, has now become a symbol of the tragedy that befell her and the other passengers on the flight.
According to reports, Anju had made a video call to a family WhatsApp group before takeoff. She also tried to call her sister, Neelu Sharma, who unfortunately missed the call, a fact that now deeply haunts her. Anju was the eldest of eight sisters.
The Air India flight, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, had 242 people on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The crash occurred in a densely populated residential area of the city, resulting in the deaths of at least eight local people in addition to the passengers. Only one passenger, a British national named Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash.
The news of the crash has sent shockwaves through communities in India and the United Kingdom. Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. Former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, was also among the deceased.
The sole survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, is currently receiving treatment at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital. He reportedly spoke to his father before takeoff and after surviving the crash, expressing his disbelief at being alive and his inability to locate other passengers.
As families grapple with the immense loss, authorities are working to identify the victims and provide support to the bereaved. Anju Sharma's identity was confirmed after her younger daughter provided a DNA sample in Vadodara. Her family is now preparing to travel to Vadodara to perform her last rites. Anju’s elderly parents remain uninformed about the incident due to their poor health. Her father, Jagdish, a retired Indian Army officer, is bedridden after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
The crash has raised concerns about aviation safety and has led to renewed scrutiny of both Boeing and Air India. The incident is the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, an aircraft that had previously maintained a strong safety record.
