Days ahead of the first anniversary of the in Ahmedabad, Air India has written a letter to Radhika Rupani, the daughter of former Gujarat Chief Minister who was among the 260 victims of the disaster. The airline, in its letter, told Rupani that there is no pressure on the kin of the victims to accept the company’s full and final compensation amount within a particular time frame.
“Our offer of final compensation did not set out any timetable for acceptance. Families are entirely free to wait until the investigation report has been released, as some have chosen to do,” the airline wrote to Rupani, as per NDTV, which has accessed the letter.
Radhika Rupani had earlier written to the chairman of Tata Sons, N Chandrasekaran, wherein she claimed ‘transparency’, ‘answers’ from the company.
In her letter, Radhika claimed that the Air India, which is owned by Tata Sons, is sending documents that require families accepting this compensation to waive off all future and present claims from Air India.
“The investigation is not yet complete, yet the document requires families to permanently waive present and future claims before all facts are known. We deserve more than compensation. We deserve answers. We deserve transparency and above all closure,” she wrote in her letter, as per the publication.
The airline, however, has maintained that families should not feel forced to accept the compensation they are offering. Families of victims can choose to either accept the financial support the company is providing or they can also choose to wait till the final report of the investigation is out. the company has said.
“There is absolutely no reason for families to feel pressured to choose between immediate financial support and awaiting the investigation report. In the aftermath of the accident, Air India immediately started disbursing compensation on an interim basis. This was intended to meet the immediate financial needs of families, whilst the longer process of assessing final compensation got underway,” Air India’s letter to Radhika read.
The 12 June, 2025 crash of AI-171 left 260 people dead. The incident occurred soon after a took off from Ahmedabad and was heading towards London’s Gatwick airport.
The airline also clarified what it means in the document Receipt, Discharge & Indemnity, which has to be signed by the families of the victims: “The broad wording is only to ensure that settlements of final compensation are indeed final, and to protect Air India from receiving any direct claims (from other family members) or indirect claims (from equipment manufacturers, suppliers etc.) in the future, despite families having entered into a final settlement with Air India.”
Rupani’s son remembers father
Rushabh Rupani, the son of the former Gujarat CM, told reporters on Wedensday that his family found it very difficult to deal with the sudden loss of his father.
“My father is remembered in countless small moments…It’s not easy for anyone. We, as a family, have lost a guide, a mentor and a pathfinder,” Rushabh Rupani told reporters, as per PTI.
“What is important is how we preserve these memories and how we channel this energy positively and constructively for the betterment of society,” he said.
Rushabh says his family has established a foundation in memory of his late father for public welfare.
“To positively channel his memories and ideals, we have established the ‘Shri Vijay Rupani Memorial Foundation’ in Rajkot. The purpose of this foundation is to work for the empowerment of youth and women, and for social uplift,” he said.
“Following the philosophy of ‘Antyodaya’ as defined by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and inspired by my father’s thoughts, we aim to adopt an approach that is not self-centered but society-centered,” he added.
The foundation will serve in the education sector, healthcare, youth development and women’s welfare initiatives, he said.
With agency inputs