Tata Sons has officially registered a public charitable trust in Mumbai—‘The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust’, dedicated to the victims of the tragic Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad. The trust aims to provide both immediate and long-term support to the families of the deceased, injured passengers, and those indirectly affected by the disaster.

Additionally, the trust will offer assistance to first responders, medical teams, disaster relief workers, social workers, and government staff who extended critical help during the emergency. Their psychological and emotional well-being will also be addressed through trust-supported initiatives.

Funding & Support:
Tata Sons and Tata Trusts have jointly pledged ₹500 crore for the trust—₹250 crore each—which will be used for:

• Ex-gratia compensation of ₹1 crore to families of deceased victims
• Medical treatment for the seriously injured
• Reconstruction of the BJ Medical College hostel, damaged during the crash

Governance & Operations:
The trust will be governed by a five-member Board of Trustees. So far, S. Padmanabhan, a veteran from the Tata Group, and Sidharth Sharma, Tata Sons’ General Counsel, have been appointed as the first two trustees. The trust will begin its operations after completing formal registrations with tax authorities and other regulatory bodies.

Appeal from Pilots’ Association:
Meanwhile, the Air Line Pilots’ Association (ALPA) India has issued a strong statement urging media outlets to refrain from publishing speculative or unverified information regarding the cause of the crash. ALPA emphasized that unsubstantiated claims, particularly those related to mental health, suicide, or crew negligence, must be avoided unless backed by official investigation results.

ALPA stated, “We make a sincere and urgent appeal to all media outlets to avoid baseless theories that may unfairly blame the flight crew or misrepresent sensitive matters.”

The trust and authorities continue to work toward providing support and maintaining the dignity of all those affected by the AI-171 tragedy.