PATHANAMTHITTA: Nearly two weeks after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives, a grieving family in the quiet village of Pullad is finally on the verge of closure.
The DNA identity of Ranjitha Gopakumaran Nair, a 39-year-old nurse who lost her life in the crash, has been matched with her mother Thulasi. Her family is now preparing for her last rites on Tuesday.
According to family sources, her mortal remains will arrive at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport on Tuesday morning. From there the body will be taken to her hometown, Pullad.
At her ancestral home, Thulasi clutches her daughter’s photograph - a cherished memory of the youngest member of her family, whose dreams and aspirations were abruptly cut short.
DNA confirmation brings the first glimmer of relief for a family devastated by the tragedy.
A painful wait and farewell
Ranjitha was among the victims of the ill-fated flight from Ahmedabad to London on June 12. Due to the severe burns sustained by passengers, DNA testing was the only reliable method to identify her remains. While her brother, Ratheesh G Nair, initially provided a DNA sample, it did not match.
This led to samples being collected from her mother and two children three days ago at their home in Pullad.
The long wait for results had placed immense emotional strain on the family. Ratheesh, who has been coordinating with authorities in Ahmedabad, stayed back in the city alongside their uncle, Unnikrishnan, to expedite the process.
Meanwhile, her elder brother, who was abroad, came home and stayed with the family. “We have been informed by officials that the DNA results have confirmed her identity,” Anil Kumar, a close relative of the family told TNIE on Monday.
According to the family, they have planned to hold a public viewing of Ranjitha’s body at SVHS, her alma mater in Pullad, before proceeding with the cremation. The local panchayat, in collaboration with the family, has been making arrangements for the ceremony over the past week.
“Preparations for the final journey have already been arranged at the SVHS School. Ranjitha was an inspiration to many. She worked hard to build a better life for her family despite the setbacks in her personal life, and we want her final rites to honour her,” a panchayat official said.
The school authorities and alumni have extended their support to the family during this difficult time.
Born to Gopakumaran Nair and Thulasi, she was the youngest of three siblings. After graduating with a nursing degree from Pandalam, she began her career in Gujarat and later moved to Salalah, Oman, where she worked for several years.
Last year, Ranjitha relocated to the UK to pursue better opportunities, while taking a long leave from her government job at Pathanamthitta General Hospital, which she had secured five years ago. During her brief return to India, she had completed paperwork to renew her government position and was finalising plans to move into the new house she had been building in Pullad.
“She dreamed of settling down in her hometown with her children and mother. She worked tirelessly to provide for her family,” said Aneesh Varikkannamala, a family friend and KPCC secretary.
Her children, Induchoodan, a Class 10 student, and Idhika, in Class 3, remained at the centre of her dreams.
“She was a loving mother who always put her family first,” said a relative.
For Thulasi, the confirmation of her daughter’s DNA brings a bittersweet sense of relief.
“We can finally bring her home,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
As the final arrangements are made, the village of Pullad stands united, ready to bid farewell to one of its dearest daughters.