Team Goemkarponn
London: An interfaith condolence and prayer meeting was held at the High Commission of India (HCI) in London on Monday to honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. Among the faith leaders offering prayers was Fr Feroz Fernandes of the Pilar Society, who represented the Christian community at the solemn gathering.
Held in the Gandhi Hall of India House, the memorial brought together religious leaders and members of the Indian diaspora, including several Goans. The hall was packed to capacity as attendees stood in silence for one minute to remember the 241 passengers and crew, along with 38 civilians on the ground, who perished in the crash.
Fr Fernandes, a respected Goan priest based in the UK, delivered a moving prayer that emphasized collective healing and unity in grief. “This tragedy has shaken our nation and touched every corner of our global community. Yet, even now, it brings us closer. In sorrow, we find solidarity. In mourning, we rediscover our shared humanity,” he said.
“In this sacred moment, we stand not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters — Indians together in heart and spirit, raising one voice for the lives we mourn and the love that binds us,” he added.
Other religious leaders who offered prayers included Harbansh Virdi (Buddhism), Kartik Dube (Hinduism), Hafez Owaeis Patni (Islam), Ranjit Singh (Sikhism), and Malcolm Deboo (Zoroastrianism), reflecting India’s diverse spiritual traditions united in grief.
Prominent Goans at the event included Clayton Barretto, Social Secretary to the Indian High Commissioner, and Ravi Vaz, President of the Goan Association UK, underscoring the Goan community’s solidarity with the national tragedy.
High Commissioner Vikram K Doraiswami extended condolences to the bereaved families. “We extend our deepest sympathies to friends and families of British, Portuguese, Canadian, and Indian nationals on board. Our priority now is to assist with the identification and dignified return of the mortal remains,” he stated.
Doraiswami also noted that the HCI in London has been actively helping families travel to India and will continue providing support. He thanked the faith leaders, including Fr Fernandes, for their prayers and presence.
The gathering was also addressed by UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who expressed solidarity on behalf of the British government. “India and the UK grieve together,” she said. Canadian High Commissioner Ralph Goodale shared similar sentiments, as did MPs Alan Gemmell, Ruth Cadbury, and former MP Virendra Sharma.
The interfaith service served as a solemn and symbolic gesture of global unity, with the Indian diaspora in the UK — and notably the Goan community — coming together to offer strength, faith, and compassion in the face of a national tragedy.
