NEW DELHI: Jaiprakash Chaudhary was a symbol of promise and progress. The 20-year-old son of a daily-wage worker from Bor Charanan, a remote village in Barmer district, had broken generational barriers. As a second-year MBBS student at BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, he was not only the first in his family to attend university, but on track to become the first doctor his village had ever produced a milestone his family anticipated with pride.
But dreams turned to ashes on Thursday afternoon when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed into the hostel building of BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff. Of the 242 onboard, 241 perished. The crash also claimed five lives on the ground four medical students and a doctor’s wife, all of whom were inside the second-floor dining hall of the hostel during the impact.
Among the deceased were 12 individuals from Rajasthan, including 11 passengers and Jaiprakash, who had been inside the hostel during his lunch break. According to relatives, he had just spoken to his family before heading for his meal. He had secured a place in the government-run medical college by scoring an impressive 686 out of 720 in the NEET-UG exam two years ago. He is survived by his parents and a younger sibling, who is still in school.
“A few minutes after lunch, Jaiprakash had gone to wash his hands when the aircraft hit the building. The explosion and the falling debris left him with severe burns and injuries. The initial medical report cited burn injuries on 30 percent of his body,” a grieving family member told reporters.
His remains were returned to Bor Charanan on Friday. Barmer district collector Tina Dabi, among other officials, visited to pay homage to the young student whose journey ended too soon.
But Jaiprakash was not the only light extinguished in the disaster.
In Udaipur’s Saheli Nagar, the Modi household is reeling from the loss of both children — 25-year-old Shubh and 23-year-old Shagun — who were headed to London for a holiday. Shubh, a chemical engineering graduate from the UK, had planned to visit old friends. His sister decided to accompany him for the trip.
“The family is in shock. Their bodies are yet to be identified. Nothing can ease this pain,” said their uncle, Satish Bhandari.
Equally heartbreaking is the story of 22-year-old Khushboo Rajpurohit from Balotra. A newlywed, she was en route to join her husband Vipul Singh in London, where he works. In a video that circulated widely after the crash, Khushboo can be seen embracing her family members with tears before departing.
“She hugged every woman in the house before leaving. Her father had taken her to Ahmedabad. He was returning home when he heard about the crash,” said her relative, Thank Singh.
The family is now in Ahmedabad, waiting for her body to be identified. Her husband is expected to arrive by Saturday. “DNA samples have been submitted to confirm her identity. We were preparing for new beginnings, but it all turned to mourning within hours,” Vipul said, overwhelmed by grief.
As Rajasthan buries its sons and daughters, these personal stories reflect the magnitude of the loss — of ambitions, of love, of futures never realized.
