“She Was the Heartbeat of Our Home…”: Air India Flight Attendant Roshni Songhare Among Crash Victims

Among the 241 lives tragically lost in the Air India AI-171 crash was 26-year-old Roshni Songhare, a flight attendant whose vibrant spirit and future dreams were cut short in an instant.

Roshni, who lived with her parents Rajendra and Shobha, and younger brother Vignesh on Rajaji Path in Dombivli near Mumbai, was described by her family as the “heartbeat” of their home. A bright, determined young woman, she had worked her way up in the aviation industry, starting with a smaller airline before joining Air India.

“She was the heartbeat of this home. We were getting her engaged in November and married in March,” a relative said. She had recently been engaged to a merchant navy officer, whom she had met through a family acquaintance. Her family had been eagerly preparing for the celebrations. “She was so happy to be flying again. We were all looking forward to her wedding,” said her uncle, Praveen Sukhdere. “She had so much ahead of her,” he added fighting back tears.

Well-known on social media, Roshni had over 73,000 followers on Instagram. Her online presence showcased a life filled with travel, positivity, and a strong connection with her audience.

On the day of the crash, she was one of 12 crew members, including two pilots assigned to operate flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London. It was a role she cherished, and she was especially excited about her international assignments.

After news of the crash broke, her family made desperate attempts to contact her. When they received no response, her father and brother rushed to Ahmedabad in search of answers. Their worst fears were confirmed when authorities announced that there had been just one survivor.​