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Among the passengers were Shubh and Shagun Modi, children of prominent marble businessman Pinku Modi, and two residents of Rundeda village, Vardi Chand Menaria and Prakash Menaria
Shubh and Shagun had recently completed their MBAs and had begun contributing to their family business. (News18 Hindi)
A pall of sorrow descended over Udaipur, Rajasthan, after confirmation that four locals were aboard the ill-fated Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad‘s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Among the passengers were siblings Shubh and Shagun Modi, children of prominent marble businessman Pinku Modi, and two residents of Rundeda village, Vardi Chand Menaria and Prakash Menaria.
Air India flight AI171, which was en route to London‘s Gatwick Airport, crashed at approximately 1:40 PM on Thursday, June 12, barely minutes after takeoff. The flight was carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members. As of the latest reports, 170 people have been confirmed dead. However, sources fear all passengers dead.
The Modi family, well-known in Udaipur’s marble trade, is grappling with devastating news of the plane crash. Pinku Modi’s children, 24-year-old Shubh Modi and 22-year-old Shagun Modi, were aboard the Air India flight. Both had recently completed their MBAs and had begun contributing to their family business. According to relatives, the siblings were headed to London for a vacation and were to stay with a friend during their visit.
Their names, Shubh and Shagun, appear as passengers number 98 and 99 on the official list released by authorities. Upon learning of the crash, Pinku Modi and his family rushed to Ahmedabad in hopes of receiving clarity about their children’s fate. Outside their Udaipur home, anxious neighbours and well-wishers have gathered in silence.
Also among the passengers were Vardi Chand Menaria and Prakash Menaria of Rundeda village in Udaipur district. Both men, working as chefs in London, were returning to their jobs after a brief visit home. Listed as passengers 90 and 91, the news of the crash has left the villagers in disbelief.
Sources close to the family say they had boarded the flight from Ahmedabad, where they had made final arrangements to resume work abroad. Now, Rundeda too waits in grim silence, fearing the worst.
In response to the tragedy, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma cancelled all prior engagements and contacted Udaipur’s District Collector to personally enquire about these four passengers. He assured full state support to the families affected.
As the nation mourns a tragedy that has stunned the aviation world, Udaipur too finds itself in mourning, praying for miracles while preparing for grief.
- Location :
Udaipur | Ahmedabad, India
- First Published:
