NEW DELHI: Amid the smouldering debris of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad lies a phone that may never be recovered — but the last photo it captured endures. It shows a smiling family from Rajasthan, ready to embark on a new chapter in London. That moment of joy has now become a symbol of the devastating tragedy that claimed 265 lives.For Dr Komi Vyas, a well-regarded physician at Udaipur’s Pacific Medical College and Hospital, the journey marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. She had recently resigned from her job to join her husband, Dr Prateek Joshi, who had been living and working in London for over three years. Along with their three children — daughter Miraya and twin boys Pradyut and Nakul — the family was finally set to reunite overseas after years of planning.The family from Banswara had long dreamt of building a life together in the UK. But just minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, the flight to London Gatwick ended in a fiery crash, bringing their dreams to a horrifying end.Colleagues at Pacific Hospital recalled how Komi had excitedly shared her plans just two days before the flight. “She spoke with so much hope and happiness,” said hospital chairman Ashish Agarwal. In Udaipur, where the children studied, the loss sent shockwaves through the medical and academic communities alike.Lokesh Shukla, a close friend and neighbour in Banswara, said Prateek had returned to India a month ago to help with preparations.“They were full of excitement — shopping for clothes, school supplies, even home décor — everything for their new life,” he said.Back in Banswara’s Mohan Colony, opposite the district collector’s residence, the family’s home turned into a centre of mourning. Neighbours and friends poured in, many inconsolable. Shops in the locality downed shutters in a gesture of solidarity.Dr Prateek’s father, JP Joshi, runs a diagnostic centre in Udaipur, while his mother, Dr Anita Joshi, is also from the medical field. The family was known not only for their professional success but for their kindness and humility. Relatives such as Hemant and Madhukar Joshi remained too distraught to speak. “They were the kind of family everyone admired — grounded, loving, and generous,” said one neighbour.
