Medical bodies call for parity: Tata Sons asked to match Air India compensation for injured med students

In an emotionally charged appeal to India's corporate leadership, the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) Gujarat branch has formally requested Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran to extend similar financial support to medical students who were casualties in the devastating Air India crash at BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad.

The June 12 tragedy, which claimed over 290 lives when Flight 171 crashed into the medical college hostel shortly after takeoff, has prompted the medical fraternity to advocate for their student colleagues who were among the ground casualties.

In their letter dated June 12, 2025, the medical association acknowledged Air India's announcement of Rs 1 crore compensation for passenger families and Tata's commitment to renovating the damaged BJMC hostel. However, they argued that the medical students who were injured or killed deserve equivalent consideration.

"At least 24 people on the ground, including four MBBS students and a doctor's wife" were among the casualties when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the medical college facility.

The association, represented by President Dr Mehul J Shah, Secretary Dr Gargi M Patel, and Treasurer Dr Tushar Patel, emphasised that these students represented "future pillars of our healthcare system" whose families deserve similar care and support.

The appeal highlights a critical question of equity in disaster response — whether ground casualties, particularly those from the medical community, should receive compensation matching that provided to air passengers. The medical body has called for immediate action, requesting the corporate leader to consider their plea "with compassion and urgency."