Thrilled that they would be part of her convocation ceremony on June 23, Dhwani Patel couldn\u2019t wait to see her parents \u2014 and the graduation dress they had picked out for her \u2014 in London.<\/p>\n
Rajni Patel (51) and his wife, Divyaben (47), from Gujarat\u2019s Vasad town, had also packed local snacks, new shoes and a watch to surprise the 21-year-old. Travelling with them was Dhwani\u2019s aunt, Hemangi Patel (57).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had scheduled a flight for June 20 but advanced it to June 16, and finally to June 12, as they wanted to spend more time with me since I was to sit for placements after my convocation. This was the first time someone from our family was\u00a0attending a convocation abroad. I told them to stay with me for some days as the weather is usually good in London,\u201d Dhwani told The Indian Express<\/a>.<\/p>\n Story continues below this ad<\/p>\n The family found itself on the Air India flight that crashed<\/a> <\/strong>shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad<\/a><\/strong>, killing all but one on board.<\/p>\n A student of business management from Middlesex University in London, Dhwani rushed back home but could only reach on June 14. \u201cDue to the Israel-Iran conflict, my flight was redirected to Austria, then Milan and then back to the UK. I took a new flight and reached on June 14,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThey had packed everything Dhwani likes\u2026 They hoped to stay with her for some days before she started working,\u201d said her 31-year-old cousin Parth Patel, whose mother Hemangi died in the crash.<\/p>\n On board the flight were several such proud parents who were heading to the UK to attend their children\u2019s convocation.<\/p>\n Story continues below this ad<\/p>\n Two others who lost parents to the Dreamliner crash are Ahmedabad\u2019s Pratham Nanda (22), who was graduating from Nottingham Trent<\/a> University, and Gracy Sagparia from Rajkot, who was graduating from the University for the Creative Arts, Epsom.<\/p>\n Like Dhwani\u2019s parents, they too had rescheduled their travel plans.<\/p>\n Younger brother gone too<\/p>\n Pratham is grieving the loss not just of his parents but of his younger brother, Prayash (18), too. Apart from attending Pratham\u2019s convocation, the parents \u2013 founder of Cargo Motors Group Pramukh Pravesh Nanda and his wife Neha \u2013 thought they would also shortlist universities for Prayash.<\/p>\n An undergraduate student of business management and entrepreneurship, Pratham was waiting for his family to attend his convocation on June 16.<\/p>\n Story continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cPrayash, who had just completed his Class XII, also wanted to study abroad, so the family thought it would be a good opportunity to look for universities. They were to visit two-three universities before finalising one,\u201d Pramukh\u2019s younger brother Pranav told The Indian Express.<\/p>\n Pramukh was a key figure in Gujarat\u2019s automobile and transport sectors and was well-known in the state\u2019s business circles. The bodies were cremated on June 17 after the mortal remains were handed over following DNA sample reports. Pratham reached Mumbai<\/a> on June 13 morning, from where he travelled by road to Ahmedabad.<\/p>\n According to Pranav, the family was to leave on June 9 so they could get more time before the convocation. \u201cBut since our father was not well and had to be hospitalised, they delayed the tickets to June 12. The same day (of the crash), my father was discharged from the hospital in Ahmedabad,\u201d Pranav said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/track_1x1.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/p>\n![\"Gracy,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/PHOTO-2025-06-22-10-30-52.jpg\")
Gracy, in the centre wearing a white shirt and red skirt, with her fher father and other family members (extreme left)<\/p>\n