The tragic story of a Rajasthan doctor couple, their 3 kids who were killed in Air India crash

A family of five from Rajasthan is among those who died in the tragic Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad. Dr Pratik Joshi and his wife, Dr Kaumi Vyas, were travelling with their three kids to start a new life in London. Their selfie, clicked just before the takeoff, has become a tragic reminder of a future that was never to be read more
Air India plane crash: Just hours before the unimaginable happened, the Rajasthan family of five had taken a cheerful selfie in the airplane, radiating hope, and excitement for the journey ahead. Image courtesy: X/@volcaholic1
A Rajasthan family's dream of starting a new life ended in a heartbreaking tragedy when their Air India flight crashed just minutes after takeoff near Ahmedabad.
The doctor couple from Banswara and their three young children were among the 241 people who lost their lives in the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI171.
Just hours before the unimaginable happened, the family of five had taken a cheerful selfie in the airplane, radiating hope, love, and excitement for the journey ahead. That photo, now widely shared online, has become a haunting reminder of a future that was never to be.
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Here's what we know about them.
Who was the Rajasthan family on board the Air India flight?
Dr Pratik Joshi had spent the last six years building a life in London, working as a radiologist. His dream was clear: to eventually bring his wife and three young children to the UK and start a new life together. That dream was just days from becoming reality when tragedy struck.
Travelling with him on the ill-fated Air India flight was his wife, Dr Kaumi Vyas, a well-regarded physician at Udaipur's Pacific Hospital. Kaumi had quit her job just two days earlier to prepare for their permanent relocation to London.
The couple, married for nearly ten years, had been living apart for much of that time. While Pratik built his career abroad, Kaumi stayed in Udaipur with their children, waiting for the final visa approvals.
'She had temporarily moved to Banswara while finishing the paperwork,' said cousin Nayan Joshi in a Business Today report. Pratik had recently flown back to India to travel with his family, hoping to finally begin the life they had long planned together.
'They were so happy,' Nayan Joshi added. 'They'd been preparing for this move for a month.'
Pratik, a London-based radiologist, had recently flown back to India to travel with his family, hoping to finally begin the life they had long planned together. His wife, Dr Kaumi Vyas, was a well-regarded physician at Udaipur's Pacific Hospital. Image courtesy: News18 Hindi
Accompanying them on the journey were their three children, eight-year-old Miraya and twin boys Pradyut and Nakul, aged five.
The news of their sudden loss has devastated Banswara. Locals remember the couple as devoted parents and committed professionals who had big dreams for their children.
'The entire town is grieving,' a family friend told News18. 'They were a warm, progressive couple who wanted the best for their children.'
VIDEO | Rajasthan: Five members of a family from Banswara district were on board the Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad.
Banswara DSP Gopichand Meena says, 'We got to know that five members of a family from Banswara were on board the plane that crashed (in Ahmedabad). The… pic.twitter.com/oLOqw1xgZR — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2025
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Before takeoff, Pratik snapped a family selfie on the plane—he and Kaumi seated side-by-side, with their children in the adjacent row, all smiling brightly.
Kaumi had shared the photo on social media shortly before the flight, according to PTI. The image has since gone viral, a heartbreaking reminder of a life full of hope, now lost.
Air India plane crash victims from Rajasthan
The heartbreak of the Air India crash has rippled far beyond Banswara. Across Rajasthan, families are in mourning as more names from the state emerge among the list of victims. Authorities have so far confirmed that 11 of the passengers who died in the crash hailed from Rajasthan.
Alongside the Joshi family, four other Udaipur residents also lost their lives. Shubh Modi, 24, and his 22-year-old sister Shagun were both on board. They were the children of renowned marble businessman Pinku Modi and were pursuing higher education abroad.
Vardi Chand Menaria and Prakash Menaria, from Rundeda village in Udaipur district, were also among those who perished.
Another young life lost was that of 27-year-old Khushboo Rajpurohit from Balotra. Known for her tireless volunteer work in promoting women's education, Khushboo was a source of pride in her community.
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Reacting to the incident, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma called the crash 'extremely sad and worrying,' while former CM Ashok Gehlot described it as 'heartbreaking.'
गुजरात के अहमदाबाद में हुई विमान दुर्घटना में राजस्थान के निवासियों सहित अनेक नागरिकों की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत दुःखद एवं हृदयविदारक है।
राजस्थान सरकार संबंधित अधिकारियों के साथ निरंतर समन्वय बनाए हुए है और इस दु:ख की घड़ी में मृतकों के परिजनों एवं घायल नागरिकों… — Bhajanlal Sharma (@BhajanlalBjp) June 12, 2025
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With input from agencies_

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