On June 12, the AI 171 Air India Boeing 787 crashed into the hostel‑cum‑residential quarters of B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, triggering a devastating fire. Eight‑month‑old Dhyaansh Kachhadiya and his mother Manisha were inside when heat and flames engulfed their flat.
Manisha, a 30‑year‑old homeopath, sustained 25 percent burns, primarily to her face, arms, and legs. Dhyaansh suffered 36 percent burns across his face, chest, abdomen, and both arms—many of them third‑degree injuries.
After initial treatment at Civil Hospital, the duo was transferred to K.D. Hospital, where a multidisciplinary team including Dr Rutvij Parikh (plastic surgery), Dr Snehal Patel (neonatology), Dr Tushar Patel (pulmonology), and Dr Mansi Dandnaik (intensive care) provided intensive care.
Facing deep wounds on the infant, doctors performed skin grafting using both Dhyaansh’s own healthy skin and grafts donated by his mother. Manisha’s skin helped reduce risks of infection and rejection—infant skin being insufficient on its own for full coverage.
Dr Kapil Kachhadiya, Dhyaansh’s father and a urology resident, played a vital role by monitoring care and dressings throughout the night.
After five weeks of treatment, both mother and son were discharged, having made a “remarkable recovery.” Dhyaansh now smiles, and his cheeks “glow with health”—a testament to a mother’s courage and medical expertise prevailing amid tragedy.
