The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on Thursday (June 12) afternoon has claimed 242 lives, leaving families across the country in mourning. Among those killed was 26-year-old Roshni Songhare, a vibrant young flight attendant from Dombivli, Maharashtra, who was just months away from starting a new chapter in life with her wedding scheduled for March 2026.
Roshni, a native of Rajaji Path in Dombivli town in Thane district, was the pride of her family, a determined young woman who had worked her way into the aviation industry through sheer dedication. Her journey had started in coastal Ratnagiri’s Mandangad, from where the Songhare family originally hailed. They moved to Mumbai in search of better opportunities before settling in Dombivli just two years ago.
Roshni’s father, Rajendra Songhare, a 50-year-old private employee, worked tirelessly to ensure his children had a bright future. Roshni completed her cabin crew training, began her career with SpiceJet, and later joined Air India, eventually securing international assignments. Her family was brimming with pride and making wedding preparations.
“She was the heartbeat of this home,” said a close family member, struggling to hold back tears. “We were getting her engaged in November and married in March. Time played cruelly with her.”
Just three days before the crash, Roshni had left home excitedly for her next assignment, a long-haul international flight from Ahmedabad to London. Her family had seen her off like usual, unaware it would be the last time. When the news of the crash broke, her parents and younger brother, Vignesh, were plunged into despair. Repeated attempts to contact her failed. Rajendra and Vignesh rushed to Ahmedabad, hoping against hope for a miracle.
“She was finally getting everything she had worked so hard for,” said a neighbour. “Her career, her marriage, everything was falling into place.”
Roshni was engaged to a merchant navy officer from Guhagar taluka in Ratnagiri, currently based in Thane. Their families had known each other, and the wedding was to be a celebration of dreams fulfilled. Those dreams now lie buried in grief.
Her uncle, Praveen Sukhdere, recalled, “She was so happy to be flying again. The entire family was looking forward to her wedding. She had found her rhythm in life and then this happened.”
Beyond her professional life, Roshni was also a social media influencer, with over 54,000 followers on Instagram. Her feed was filled with photos from her travels, glimpses of her work life, and notes of inspiration. After the crash, her profile became a digital memorial, with friends, followers, and strangers pouring in condolences. One message read poignantly: “You flew high, Roshni. You just flew a little too far.”
As investigators probe the cause of the crash, which occurred just seconds after takeoff and claimed not only all but one onboard but also 24 lives on the ground, families like the Songhares are left picking up the pieces, grieving the loss of a daughter who had touched the sky, only to be taken away far too soon.
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