Ahmedabad. It is said that an ideal son is one who fulfills every dream of his parents while he is alive, but Ahmedabad filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala has kept the promise made to his father after his death. On June 12, 260 people died when Air India flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed. 34 year old Mahesh Jirawala was also included in these. Six months after the accident, his 61-year-old ailing father Girdharbhai Jeerawala feels his son has kept his word. With the compensation of Rs 1.29 crore received after Mahesh’s death, the family paid off all the loans and bought their own house.
Mahesh was present on the ground
Plane crash took the life of Mahesh Jirawala, who was among the unlucky 19 people who were not aboard the plane but were on the ground. On June 12, when an Air India plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, it crashed shortly after. 241 passengers on board the plane and 19 people on the ground were killed in the accident. Mahesh was passing through a road near the hostel in Meghani Nagar area when the crashed plane fell on him.
I had promised my father that I would get the house by Diwali.
Mahesh’s father Girdharbhai told that at the time of the accident he was resting in his rented house in Naroda. He had suffered a heart attack just two weeks before the incident. Girdharbhai said emotionally, “I used to work in a diamond polishing unit. When I had a heart attack, Mahesh asked me to leave work and take rest. He had promised that he would repay all the loans and buy his house before Diwali. He expected to earn well from his film projects.”
Compensation amount and family distribution
Mahesh was married to Hetal just three months before the accident. Air India and the Tata Group gave a compensation of Rs 1.25 crore to the family, while the state government gave Rs 4 lakh separately to Hetal. A total of Rs 1.29 crore was distributed. Girdharbhai said, “Out of the money we got, Hetal took Rs 54 lakh and went to her parents’ house. We were left with Rs 75 lakh.”
Son’s last wish fulfilled
Girdharbhai used the remaining Rs 75 lakh to fulfill his son’s dream. He said, “I first paid off an old loan of Rs 15 lakh. After this, I bought a house for Rs 45 lakh, so that our family could live under our own roof. I spent Rs 10 lakh on furniture and fixed Rs 5 lakh for the future of Mahesh’s younger brother Karthik’s 5-year-old daughter.”
Now only memories and respect are left
Girdharbhai told that Mahesh was planning to adopt the daughter of his younger brother Karthik, because Karthik has been divorced. The father said with tearful eyes, “Now I have nothing left of that money. I am no longer in a position to work and we are dependent on Karthik’s monthly salary of Rs 20,000. But I am consoled by the fact that even after his death, my son did not leave us destitute. He gave us respect in the society and a house to live in.”
