On June 12, it was a normal day at the B J Medical College, Ahmedabad when two medical students were finishing their lunch in the hostel mess at about 2 PM, as the Air India flight hurtled toward the hostel building. Just 2 minutes before this happened, 20-year-old Aryan Rajput handed his mobile phone to his friend and told him, “Tum chalo. Main hath dhokar aata hoon (You go ahead. I’ll just wash my hands).”

The friend walked out of the mess. Aryan stayed behind to wash his hands. In that split second, the aircraft crashed through the building, and changed the fate of two friends.
Within minutes, Aryan’s friend, traumatised, picked up Aryan’s phone and dialled one of his relatives in Gwalior: “Aap jaldi se aa jaiye. Aryan ghayal ho chuka hai. Usse ICU mein admit kiya gaya hai (Come quickly, Aryan is injured and in the ICU).”
Aryan’s family left for Ahmedabad from Madhya Pradesh’s Jiksouli village immediately. By the time they arrived, they learned the devastating truth — Aryan was dead.

Dr Dhaval Ghameti, president, Junior Doctors’ Association, and member, Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), said, “Aryan was a second-year MBBS student. He was present (in the mess) when the plane crashed. He succumbed to his injuries. His body has been handed over to his family.”

Aryan Rajput’s Story of Perseverence

Aryan Rajput was a talented and a hardworking student. He scored 700 out of 720 in NEET exam – one of the toughest in the country without going to any coaching institute.

His cousin Bhikam, who had received the devastating call from Aryan’s roommate called Aryan “brilliant”, and said, “He scored 700 out of 720 in his first attempt. While his peers in cities had access to expensive preparation courses and expert guidance, Aryan, who prepared on his own in the village, relied on study materials he found on the Internet and his own determination.”

Aryan’s father, Ramhet Rajput, is a farmer who dearly wanted his younger son to be a doctor. While his elder son prepared for civil services exam, Ramhet invested all his resources into Aryan’s medical education.

Aryan was close to his family. He called his father at 9 pm daily to share details of his day, classes, and life in general. During his visits home every few months, he would tell the villagers that would mob Aryan, that one day he will be back to serve them.

Aryan’s mother doesn’t know about his death. The villagers have made an unspoken pact wherein they are all buying time till his body arrives home for his final rites.