GG News Bureau
London, 13th June: Prayers have been held across Hindu temples in north-west London today, following the devastating Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad. The London Gatwick-bound flight tragically crashed moments after takeoff, killing at least 241 people. Only one person, a British man, survived.
Harrow East MP Bob Blackman confirmed that some London residents have begun receiving news that their loved ones were among the victims. Shri Rajrajeshwar, the spiritual leader of the Palmerston Road Temple in Harrow, revealed some victims had attended his temple. “Today we are praying for them because it is the only thing we can give to the departed soul,” he said. Blackman also noted that four temple workers in his constituency had been notified of relatives’ deaths.
“There are 169 Indian nationals on the flight who are almost certainly visiting family and friends in the United Kingdom,” Blackman stated, highlighting the extensive UK connections. “A lot of the work right now is to identify who those people are and who they’re visiting.”
Community Impact and Solidarity
Tarun Patel, a spokesperson for the Neasden Temple, expressed that the tragedy will profoundly impact London’s Gujarati communities, many concentrated in Harrow, Brent, and Hounslow. “When we heard it this morning, it was one of disbelief,” he said. “It took time to really understand what’s happening… when it sunk in, it was very sad, devastating. Innocent lives affected.” While unaware of specific congregation members on the flight, he emphasized that “people at large have lost family and friends, and for that we feel their sorrow.” His temple, and likely others across the UK, will continue offering prayer gatherings for the “innocent lives lost.”
Among the confirmed victims is Vijay Rupani, the former Chief Minister of Gujarat. Suresh Mangalagiri, a family friend, told BBC London that Rupani has a daughter living in Hounslow. “It’s shocking news for everyone,” he said. “They had a plan for holidays for two weeks here. No one expected this kind of incident would happen.”
Lovina Shenoy, founder of a 38,000-strong Indian diaspora network in London, witnessed a massive outpouring of solidarity. “Within 15 minutes of the news coming out, our WhatsApp groups became very active,” she shared. Shenoy noted the “quite a shock” felt by her network, with members confirming family and friends on the flight, including a classmate traveling with his wife and daughter to reunite with their son studying in the UK.
“These are not distant stories, they are our community stories,” Shenoy added. “They are reminders of how fragile life is and how deeply connected we all are.” Her UK-wide network held a minute of silence at 7:00 PM BST to “honor every life lost, and to pray for strength and healing for the grieving families.”
