Latest news with #ShamsheerVayalil
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
AI 171 crash: JDA thanks UAE-based doctor for financial aid
Ahmedabad: The Junior Doctors' Association (JDA) at BJ Medical College wrote a letter to Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, for his "generous and compassionate act of providing financial aid to victims of the recent tragic plane crash". Dr Vayalil has offered Rs 1 crore for each of the four deceased students' families, Rs 20 lakh each for five seriously injured students and for the families of doctors who lost their loved ones. "Your timely support during this hour of distress has brought solace and hope to the families affected by this unfortunate incident. Such a noble gesture reflects not only your humanitarian spirit but also serves as an inspiring example of global solidarity and empathy," read the letter shared by JDA on its social media platforms on Thursday. The UAE-based doctor-turned-businessman announced aid of Rs 6 crore to families of medical students and doctors affected by the crash in Ahmedabad. He told the media that the images of the crash struck a chord with him "as someone who lived in similar hostels during his medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai". "I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams and the anticipation of a call from family," he told the media. "Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close." Earlier too, Dr Vayalil has announced humanitarian aid earlier after natural and manmade disasters.
Web Release
3 days ago
- General
- Web Release
UAE Doctor Pledges AED 2.5 Million to Support Families of Medical Students and Doctors Killed in Air India Crash
UAE-based doctor and philanthropist Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil has announced AED 2.5 Million (?6 crore) in financial aid for the families of medical students and doctors affected by the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad—an act of solidarity shaped by his own years spent in medical hostels and the deep personal resonance of the tragedy. The devastation unfolded on 12 June, when a Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into the hostel and mess blocks of BJ Medical College, killing four medical students, injuring dozens, and claiming the lives of family members of doctors residing on campus. The aircraft struck the Atulyam hostel complex during lunch hour, reducing student residences and the dining hall to rubble. Survivors described scenes of chaos, with books, belongings, and plates scattered amid the destruction. Among those killed were MBBS students Jaiprakash Choudhary from Barmer, Rajasthan; Manav Bhadu from Shree Ganganagar, Rajasthan; Aaryan Rajput from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh; and Rakesh Diyora from Bhavnagar, Gujarat. All were in the early years of their medical journey, full of promise and purpose. As many as five family members of doctors were also killed in the tragedy. Announcing the relief from Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shamsheer, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings and Managing Director of VPS Health, said he was deeply shaken when he saw the aftermath of the crash. As someone who had once lived in similar hostels during his own medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord. 'I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family. No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,' he said. 'Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close.' Dr. Shamsheer's relief package includes ?1 crore for each of the four deceased students' families, ?20 lakh each for five seriously injured students, and ?20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones. The financial assistance will be delivered in coordination with the Junior Doctors' Association at BJ Medical College, ensuring that those in need receive support swiftly. This is not the first time Dr. Shamsheer has responded to such a crisis. In 2010, following the Mangalore air crash, he provided financial assistance and employment opportunities to affected families at Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the Middle East. His humanitarian interventions have extended to natural disasters, public health emergencies, and displacement crises across India and the Gulf. But this, he said, felt personal in an entirely different way. 'These young men were part of the same fraternity I once belonged to. I know what it's like to stay up preparing for clinical exams, to crowd around a table in the mess hall, to walk into a hostel room after a tiring shift. That life builds not just doctors, but character. And to have that life stolen, so violently, so suddenly, is heartbreaking,' he said. Among the injured is third-year student Ritesh Kumar Sharma, who was trapped under debris for hours with severe leg injuries. Several of his friends were injured alongside him. Others watched helplessly as classmates were engulfed in the impact. Dr. Shamsheer emphasized that this support is not just financial, it is symbolic. It is a reminder that the medical community stands together, across generations and geographies. 'What happened cannot be undone. These students were preparing to serve others. Their memories must not fade into headlines. We must carry forward the dreams they didn't get to fulfill. It is shared responsibility,' he said. As BJ Medical College reels from the loss, displaced students and families are being temporarily relocated. Many have lost more than shelter, they have lost colleagues, belongings, and a sense of safety. The Junior Doctors' Association, which has been closely involved in supporting the affected students and families, is coordinating with authorities to facilitate assistance. Dr. Shamsheer's team will work alongside them to ensure the aid reaches those most in need in the coming days.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
Air India Crash: Indian-Origin Entrepreneur Donates Rs 6 Crore to Victim Medics' Families
Last Updated: UAE entrepreneur Shamsheer Vayalil pledged Rs 6 crore to support families of the four medical students who died due to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. Days after Air India plane tragedy in Ahmedabad claimed over 270 lives, a UAE-based Indian-origin entrepreneur has come forward to provide financial assistance to the grieving families of the four students who died due to the impact of the crash, and those affected. Among the deceased were four medical students who were killed after the aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel mess moments after taking off from an airport in Ahmedabad. In a post, the entrepreneur, Shamsheer Vayalil, pledged to pay Rs 6 crore to the families of the four MBBS students. As per his X bio, he is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings. They were future frontline Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash were preparing to save lives, not lose their own. The AI171 crash took them from us. Pledging ₹6 crore to support their families and others affected. #AirIndia171 #AI171 #BJMedicalCollege — Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil (@drshamsheervp) June 16, 2025 In a post on X, he wrote, 'They were future frontline heroes. Manav, Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash were preparing to save lives, not lose their own. The AI171 crash took them from us. Pledging ₹6 crore to support their families and others affected(sic).' 'Having lived in medical hostels, the images felt painfully familiar. This gesture is personal. It stands with the students who never got to serve, and with the families now carrying their memories forward(sic)," he further wrote. First Published: June 17, 2025, 10:44 IST
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Indian-origin entrepreneur in UAE pledges ₹6 crore to families of medical students killed in Air India crash
An Indian-origin entrepreneur in UAE has expressed his sorrow over the death of the students who were killed after an Air India flight crashed into a medical college hostel mess moments after taking off from an airport in Ahmedabad. In his post, he pledged to pay ₹6 crore to the families of the students who died in this tragedy. 'They were future frontline heroes. Manav, Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash were preparing to save lives, not lose their own. The AI171 crash took them from us. Pledging ₹6 crore to support their families and others affected,' Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, whose X bio says he is an entrepreneur in UAE, shared the post. 'Having lived in medical hostels, the images felt painfully familiar. This gesture is personal. It stands with the students who never got to serve, and with the families now carrying their memories forward,' he added in an update. According to the Hindu, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil is the son-in-law of MA Yusuff Ali, the owner of the retail conglomerate LuLu Group International. The four students were among several people who died when the London-bound flight crashed into BJ Medical College building. Among the 242 passengers aboard the plane, only one person survived. 'The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin,' Air India wrote in a statement on X. The plane also had ten cabin crew members and two pilots.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Ahmedabad plane crash: UAE-based doctor announces financial assistance for BJ Medical College doctors and kin
United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based doctor and philanthropist Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has announced a financial aid of a total of Rs 6 crore to the families of the medical students who died or sustained injuries after an Air India plane crashed into the BJ Medical College hostels on June 12. The relief package includes Rs 1 crore aid to the families of each of the four deceased students, Rs 20 lakh each to five seriously injured students, and Rs 20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost their loved ones in the crash. The London-bound plane crashed shortly after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport and the incident not only claimed the lives of 242 passengers and crew members on board, but also eight more present at the hostel the aircraft crashed into. Dozens of others present at hostel in Meghaninagar were also injured in the incident. The deceased medical students have been identified as Rakesh Diyora, Aryan Rajput, Manav Bhadoo, and Jay Prakash Chaudhary. Family members of doctors were also killed. Announcing the relief, founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings and Managing Director of VPS Health, Dr Shamsheer, said he had lived in similar hostels while studying at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai. 'I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family. No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,' he said. 'Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine.' 'These young men were part of the same fraternity I once belonged to. I know what it's like to stay up preparing for clinical exams, to crowd around a table in the mess hall, to walk into a hostel room after a tiring shift. That life builds not just doctors, but characters. And to have that life stolen, so violently, so suddenly, is heartbreaking,' he said. Dr Shamsheer further said: 'What happened cannot be undone. These students were preparing to serve others. Their memories must not fade into headlines. We must carry forward the dreams they didn't get to fulfill. It is a shared responsibility.' The Junior Doctors' Association, which has been closely involved in supporting the affected students and families, is coordinating with authorities to facilitate assistance.
