Air India-171 crash: The bell that rings daily 'Kaise ho aap?' from a Pakistani associate to the parents of his deceased friend

A year has passed since the Ahmedabad Air India crash that killed 260 people, and painful memories remain vivid for friends and families of the victims.

“Kaise ho aap… theek ho? (How are you?)” Omar Ali, a Pakistani colleague at a luxury goods store in London, is staying with his co-worker Kamlesh Chaudhary’s parents in India. Chaudhary from a village in Gujarat and his wife Dhapuben were on board the doomed Air India -171 which crashed on 12 June 2025.

After the tragedy, Omar, 40, who works in a luxury goods store in London, started calling Chaudhary’s father Savdhanbhai, a 48-year-old farmer from Thavar, regularly to check on him and offer emotional support. What started as a condolence turned into a deep friendship between the two families, The Indian Express reported.

“I feel even a little pain in my finger,” asks Omar.

While commuting to work in London, Ali decides to call Savdhanbhai and discuss everything from the weather and health issues to food and family life. Their conversations often revolve around ordinary moments—Savdhanbhai’s infected nail, the beans he had for lunch, or even Ali’s clean-shaven appearance. Not a single day went by without a call or message.

“Hamein zara sa nakhoon me bhi dard hota hai toh Omar poochta hai (Omar calls and asks even though my nail hurts a little).” And if someone is unwell at home, even if it is a fever, we will know about it,” Savdhanbhai told IE.

Reflecting on their bond, Ali says that their relationship was made possible by Kamlesh, who he sees as the bond that brought the two families together.

Despite never expecting such closeness, Ali says that talking to Savdhanbhai and offering comfort has become a source of comfort for him. “I always say Savdhanbhai, God made our relationship possible; Kamlesh was instrumental in making it happen. I never thought I would be so close to this family. Mere dil ko sukoon sa milta hai inse bat karke aur tassalli de kar (I find peace and comfort when I talk to them and soothe them).”

Kamlesh Chaudhary and Dhapuben’s trip to the UK was to mark the beginning of a new life abroad. Instead, a young couple from Thavar village in Dhanera lost their lives when the plane crashed shortly after take-off, shattering years of hopes and plans.

What happened on June 12, 2025?

Flight AI171 crashed into the hostel complex of a medical college in Meghaninagar on June 12 last year, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Only one passenger survived. The incident occurred shortly after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad and was heading to London’s Gatwick Airport.