Bhavik Maheshwari, 26, had tied the knot just two days ago in a quiet court marriage in Vadodara, Gujarat. He was set to return to London for work, with a grander celebration planned once he came back. But that homecoming will never happen.
Bhavik was among the 241 people on board the ill-fated Air India flight that crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. He was one of the 240 confirmed fatalities.
His father, Arjun Maheshwari, struggled to hold back tears while speaking to reporters. “During his trip to his hometown, we arranged his marriage,” he said, eyes swollen from hours of crying.
Came Vadodara on a vacation
Bhavik had come home to Vadodara on a short vacation. The family, overjoyed, suggested he marry before flying back. A simple court wedding was held on June 10 and his new bride had accompanied him to Ahmedabad to see him off.
“He called me to say that everything was done and he was ready for take-off. He asked me not to worry as he was going home. He had completed his studies and was working in London. After half an hour, nobody could make any sense of what happened,” Arjun recounted.
The Maheshwari household in Vadodara’s Vadi area has since been plunged into grief. A relative shared, “Happiness came to the family two days ago because a beloved son got married. Bhavik was living in London for the last several years. He visited Vadodara for 15 days every year to spend time with us.”
His bride had not even reached home after seeing him off when the news broke. “She had not even reached home when the message came that the plane had crashed. It was as if a mountain of grief fell on us,” the relative said.
With inputs from PTI