In a move that underscores its commitment to public welfare, the Tata Group has announced the creation of a ₹500 crore charitable trust to support victims and families affected by the fatal crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad last month.
The trust, formally registered in Mumbai as The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, will be jointly funded by Tata Sons and Tata Trusts , contributing ₹250 crore each. The initiative is aimed at providing both immediate assistance and long-term rehabilitation for those impacted by the tragedy, including the families of the deceased, survivors, and individuals indirectly affected by the accident.
According to a statement from Tata Sons, the trust will also extend psychological and logistical support to first responders, medical professionals, and government staff involved in the rescue operation, many of whom experienced trauma while responding to the disaster.
A five-member board of trustees will oversee the trust’s operations. S. Padmanabhan, a veteran of the Tata Group, and Sidharth Sharma, General Counsel at Tata Sons, have been appointed to the board, with three additional members expected to be named in the coming weeks.
The trust’s charitable objectives include offering a ₹1 crore ex-gratia payment to each family of the deceased, covering medical expenses for seriously injured passengers, and contributing to the reconstruction of the BJ Medical College Hostel, which was damaged during the crash.
On June 12, Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft headed to London, crashed into a building shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport. The incident resulted in 260 fatalities, including 19 people on the ground, making it one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India’s history. Miraculously, one passenger survived out of the 242 onboard.
Tata Group stated that once regulatory and tax formalities are completed, the trust will begin delivering on its outlined commitments.
