Air India: Parents Who Rescheduled Flight to Surprise Daughter on Graduation Day Die in Plane Crash

• Rajnikant Patel, 58, and his wife Divyaben, 54, had rescheduled their flight to surprise their daughter Dhvani at her convocation, but tragically perished in the crash
• The Air India plane, which had 242 people on board, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, heading for London Gatwick, with only one survivor
• Dhvani, 21, was expecting a family reunion for her convocation at Middlesex University on June 23, but instead, she received the devastating news of her parents' deaths

An Indian couple, Rajnikant Patel and Divyaben Rajnikant, who rescheduled their flight to surprise their daughter on her convocation, were among the victims who died in the Air India plane crash.

An Air India plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, India, on June 12.

The aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad and exploded into flames.

The plane was headed for London’s Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom with 242 people on board, and only one survived the crash.

As reported by NDTV, the couple travelled to London earlier than they were expected to because they wanted to surprise their daughter, Dhavni.

Parents who rescheduled flight die in plane crash

Rajnikant, 58, and his wife, 54, were travelling alongside the wife’s sister, Hemangi Ben, 58, and were supposed to travel on June 17, 2025.

However, they moved their travel dates to surprise the 21-year-old Dhwani and spend more time with her.

According to the Times of India, Dhavni’s convocation at Middlesex University would be held on June 23, and instead of a reunion, she heard of her parents’ death.

As the news of the tragedy reached Dhavni, a nightmare unfolded for her cousin, Parth Patel, whose mother joined her parents on the trip.

Hemangini's son, Parth Patel, said:

“My cousin Dhvani is in East London. We were all so excited that she was going to receive her MBA degree. It was supposed to be a family reunion. Instead, I'm planning funerals.

Parth recalled how he lost his father eight months ago to a heart attack and now had to deal with his mother's sudden death.

He lamented:

“And now, I've lost my mother, uncle and aunt in one stroke. We're waiting for our paternal aunt to arrive from the US, as her DNA sample can confirm my uncle's identity.”

Meanwhile, the owners of Air India mentioned the amount they would pay to the families of the victims of the tragic plane crash.

Teenage boy killed by Air India crash

In a related story on Legit.ng, a teenage boy, Akash Patni, who was resting near his family's tea stall, was tragically among those killed in the crash that shook Ahmedabad in India.

When the crash happened, the boy’s mother, Sita, who was unaware that her son was sleeping nearby, managed to run.

Akash’s mother, Sita, survived with injuries and is in the ICU, unaware that her son died just metres away.

Source: Legit.ng