Tributes have been paid to a “kind-hearted” nurse based in Portsmouth who died in a plane crash in India last week.
Renjitha Gopakumaran Nair was on board an Air India plane, departing from Ahmedabad Airport in India for London Gatwick, which crashed less than a minute after taking off on 12 June.
“Like a nurse, she showed the compassion and warmth in her approach to everyone”
Eby Sebastian
The airline confirmed that there were 241 fatalities, including passengers and crew members. There was only one survivor, a British man.
Ms Nair, an internationally educated nurse who had been working at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, had recently resigned from her job in the NHS.
She was on the plane because she been in the Kerala region finalising her permanent move back home.
Paying tribute, Ann Thomas, chief nurse at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, said: “Renjitha was a much loved and valued member of our nursing team and this news has been a shock to all.
“We are all so grateful to have had the opportunity to know and work with her. Our thoughts are with Renjitha’s family and friends at this time.”
A vigil was held for Ms Nair yesterday (15 June) at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.
It came as part of a sports day event organised by the Union of UK Malayalee Associations (UUKMA), which Ms Nair had been hoping to attend.
A vigil was held for Renjitha Gopakumaran Nair at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth
Eby Sebastian, president of the UUKMA, told Nursing Times that people at the vigil described Ms Nair as being a “kind-hearted” nurse.
He said: “Whoever we talked to there, who personally knew Renjitha, they all said she was a really kind-hearted and really promising person.
“She was really friendly with whoever she met, and such a gem of a person.
“She was very active and, like a nurse, she showed the compassion and warmth in her approach to everyone.”
Smitha Thottam, UUKMA vice president, read a eulogy at the vigil, in which she said Ms Nair’s death had “left a deep void not only in her family but in the hearts of all who knew her”.
She added: “In her personal life, Renjitha represented the values we cherish: resilience, grace, cultural pride, and compassion.
“She carried with her the spirit of Kerala while building a life in the United Kingdom, contributing to her family and community with quiet strength and dignity.
“As we stand united in sorrow, we also celebrate her life – a life that, though brief, was full of meaning and love.
“We extend our deepest condolences to her grieving family and pray that they find peace, comfort, and strength in this difficult time.
“Let this resolution stand as a lasting tribute to her memory and as a reminder of the fragility and value of every human life.”
Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing president, Bejoy Sebastian, has also paid tribute to the nurse.
Mr Sebastian, who is also the founding general secretary of the Alliance of Senior Kerala Nurses, said in a statement that he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the loss of lives in the plane crash.
He said: “As someone who flew to the UK for the first time on an Air India flight and later made this country my home, this tragedy feels especially close to my heart.
“My thoughts are with all the families in India and the UK who have lost their loved ones, and with the airline staff who are grieving the loss of their colleagues.
Bejoy Sebastian
“As a nurse, I feel particularly affected by the loss of one of our own – a dedicated nurse from Portsmouth who tragically lost her life.
“We care for others every day, and when one of us is taken too soon, it leaves a heavy ache in our hearts.
“To all the nurses, families, and communities mourning right now – my heart is with you.”
A statement issued by Air India on 15 June said: “Air India remains in mourning on the tragic loss of 241 passengers and crew members aboard flight AI171.
“Our hearts are with the families, loved ones and communities affected by the accident.”
The airline confirmed that it remained “fully cooperative” with the ongoing investigation led by the authorities in the country and would continue to provide updates.
