MUMBAI: Irfan Sheikh, a resident of Saint Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune, was one of the crew members who lost his life in the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad.
Nine of the 12 crew members on board, including pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwa were from Maharashtra
The 22-year-old Irfan had come to his native place in Pune to celebrate Bakrid which turned out to be his last Eid with his family members. Before his London flight took off, Irfan phoned his mother and spoke with her and assured her that he would soon come back and spend time with his family members.
Irfan's father, Salim Sheikh runs a shop, his mother is a homemaker and his elder brother works in a software firm.
Irfan was a nature lover and used to go trekking. He is remembered as a dedicated professional and a warm-hearted individual. “Air India was his dream job, and that turned out to be his last job,” said one of his relatives, adding Irfan had big dreams and was determined to excel in the field. But now, all those dreams have been shattered.
“Irfan promised that one day, he will take his parents out on an international flight. But his dream remained as a dream and got crushed in the London flight crash. Before taking off on the flight and after landing, Irfan used to call his mother. He did the same this time also, but on one thought this would be his last phone call,” said his uncle.
Irfan had joined the aviation industry as a cabin crew member two years ago after completing an aviation crew member course.
He initially worked with Vistara, and after the Air India-Vistara merger, he began flying on international routes.
His uncle said that after the news of the Air India flight crash, his parents rushed to Ahmedabad to give them DNA samples to identify and match Irfan's DNA sample.
The heartbreaking news of Irfan's demise has left the local community in deep mourning. His untimely death has cast a pall of grief over his neighbourhood and among those who knew him personally.
NCP SP Lok Sabha MP Dr Amol Kolhe paid an emotional tribute to Irfan by sharing a heartfelt message on social media platform X. He expressed his condolences to Irfan’s family.
“May his soul attain peace and may his family find the strength to bear this loss,” Dr Kolhe wrote.