Tata Group pledges Rs 1 crore aid to kin of each Ahmedabad plane crash victim

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has announced that the Tata Group will give ₹1 crore to the families of each individual who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday.

The group will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that all necessary care and support are provided to them.

In a statement issued on X via the @TataCompanies handle, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said, “We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171.”

“No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones and with those who have been injured.”

“Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the BJ Medical’s hostel.”

“We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time,” read the statement.

The Tata Group had acquired Air India from the government in January 2022 after bidding successfully for the loss-making airline. The acquisition, valued at Rs 18,000 crore, included ownership of Air India, Air India Express, and a 50% stake in Air India SATS. The takeover was seen as a crucial step in the government’s privatization efforts for Air India, aiming to revitalise the struggling airline.

J.R.D. Tata had founded Tata Airlines in 1932, but it was nationalised by the Government of India in 1953 after World War II and renamed as Air India.

Air India’s B787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad on Thursday after taking off at 1:38 pm. Over 200 people out of the 242 on the flight are feared dead in the tragedy, though there is no official confirmation yet.