Air India: University tutor leads tributes to 'exceptional' Leeds student killed in devastating plane crash
A Leeds student killed in a devastating plane crash in India that has claimed the lives of at least 270 people has been described as “exceptional” by his university tutor, who has led heartfelt tributes.
Dirdh Patel, 22, had been living in Leeds while studying for a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Huddersfield, where he graduated top of his class.
He died on Thursday (June 12), when a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, hitting a medical college and bursting into flames.
Dr George Bargiannis, a reader in Artificial Intelligence who taught Dirdh, described him as an “exceptional individual”. In a statement to the Yorkshire Evening Post, he said: “I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Dirdh Patel in the recent Air India crash.
“He was a former student of mine on our MSc AI course, and someone I came to know not just for his academic abilities, but for his warmth, passion, and enthusiasm.
“Dirdh was an exceptional individual, always intellectually curious, coming to me during classes with questions that showed deep understanding and commitment.
“He had a clear ability of seeing the bigger picture and how his learning could lead to making a positive impact in the world. This led him to graduate at the top of his class, achieving the highest average among all MSc AI students in his cohort.
“We stayed in touch after graduation, and I continued to mentor and support him and was always happy to see him progress in his journey. His loss is a devastating reminder of how fragile life can be.
“My thoughts are with his family, friends, fellow students, and all who were fortunate enough to know him. May his memory continue to inspire those of us who had the privilege of sharing a part of his life.”
Dirdh was also a keen cricketer, playing for Leeds Modernians Cricket Club. In a statement, the club said the team were “incredibly saddened” to learn that their friend was among the victims of the crash.
The statement added: “The thoughts of [everyone] at the club are with Dirdh’s family and everyone who knew him.”
A minute’s silence was held before a recent match to honour the student and all those who lost their lives.
The crash happened just after 1.38pm local time on June 12, shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat - the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It was carrying hundreds of passengers to London, but struck a nearby medical college before bursting into flames. Most of those killed were passengers, but several students on the ground also lost their lives.
Black smoke was seen billowing from the site of the crash, which is one of the deadliest aviation disasters involving British nationals in recent memory, and the first involving a Boeing 787. The only known survivor is UK national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who remains in hospital.