At 11:15 AM on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, a story of extraordinary courage and love has emerged from the ashes of the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, India. Eight-month-old Dhyaansh Kachhadiya, the youngest survivor of the tragic incident that claimed 260 lives, owes his life to his mother, Manisha Kachhadiya, whose instinctive bravery and selfless sacrifice defied the inferno. Discharged from the hospital last week after a grueling five-week recovery, this mother-son duo has become a symbol of resilience, with Manisha’s body serving as both a physical shield and a source of healing skin for her infant son.
A Mother’s Instinct in the Face of Flames
The disaster struck when Air India flight IC171, a Boeing 787-8 en route to London, crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff, unleashing a fireball that engulfed the building. Manisha, the wife of Dr. Kapil Kachhadiya, a urology resident at the college, was at home with Dhyaansh when the plane tore through their living space. With thick smoke and searing heat filling the air, Manisha’s sole focus was her baby. Clutching him tightly, she used her body to shield him from the flames, running blindly through the chaos to safety. The act left both with severe burns—Manisha with 25% across her face and hands, and Dhyaansh with 36% on his face, chest, arms, and abdomen—yet it was this desperate embrace that saved his life.
Kapil, on duty at the hospital during the crash, rushed to his family’s side, finding them alive but gravely injured. The couple’s ordeal became a local tale of survival, with Manisha’s instinctive courage drawing comparisons to a mother’s primal protective instinct. “I didn’t think about myself; I just had to get him out,” Manisha later recalled, her voice trembling with the memory of that harrowing moment.
A Second Act of Sacrifice
The road to recovery was fraught with challenges, particularly for Dhyaansh, whose young age and extensive burns required intensive care, including ventilator support and blood transfusions. Admitted to KD Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, his condition was critical, with doctors noting complications like lung trauma from the smoke inhalation. The turning point came when skin grafts were deemed necessary to treat his third-degree burns. In a profound display of maternal devotion, Manisha offered her own skin, becoming a literal shield once more to aid her son’s healing.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Rutvij Parikh led the procedure, explaining that using Manisha’s skin, combined with Dhyaansh’s own, minimized the risk of rejection and infection. “It was a delicate process, given his age, but her sacrifice was key,” Parikh noted. Dr. Adit Desai, the hospital’s managing director, described the case as deeply moving, praising the medical team’s collaboration and Manisha’s unwavering resolve. The hospital provided free treatment to six crash victims, including the Kachhadiyas, underscoring the community’s support during this tragedy.
A Family’s Triumph Over Tragedy
After five weeks of round-the-clock care, Manisha and Dhyaansh were discharged last week, a milestone celebrated by hospital staff and the local community. Kapil, leveraging his medical expertise, played a vital role in his son’s recovery, assisting with late-night dressings and offering emotional strength to his wife. The family’s story has resonated widely, with neighbors and colleagues hailing Manisha’s heroism and the couple’s resilience. Dhyaansh, now on the mend, symbolizes hope amid the 260 lives lost, his survival a miracle attributed to his mother’s dual acts of protection.
As investigations into the crash continue, focusing on the plane’s fuel systems and pilot actions, the Kachhadiyas’ experience offers a beacon of light. For Manisha, the journey from shield to donor reflects a love that transcended the flames, turning a day of disaster into a testament of a mother’s unbreakable bond with her child.
In conclusion, the miraculous survival of 8-month-old Dhyaansh in the Air India crash stands as a powerful narrative of maternal sacrifice. With Manisha Kachhadiya as his shield and skin donor, the infant’s recovery defies the odds, leaving an indelible mark on Ahmedabad and beyond as a story of love’s enduring power.
