UK-based Al Khair Foundation, other global bodies offer help in Ahmedabad

As the death toll from the tragic Air India crash climbs to 271, international aid is steadily arriving at the disaster site in Gujarat. Among the early responders is UK-based humanitarian leader Imam Qasim Rashid Ahmed, founder of the Al Khair Foundation. He has flown in from London to personally assist with relief efforts, especially for families who have lost loved ones.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continues to retrieve bodies from the crash site. Meanwhile, families are submitting DNA samples at Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College to identify the deceased. Aid organizations are also coordinating to support those who have lost entire families in the tragedy.

“It was a personal visit, but when I heard of the crash, I had to come assess and help,” said Imam Qasim Rashid Ahmed, who arrived early morning from London.

UK victims and personal loss

Imam Qasim shared that his own organisation has been directly affected. One of his UK branch managers, Imran Musa, lost three of his in-laws in the crash. Overall, Imam Qasim estimates that at least 13 to 14 people connected to him or his community in the UK have died.

“Personally, I know about 13–14 people. Some Muslim, some Hindu families from Leicester area — all deceased,” he said.

Despite arriving on short notice, Al Khair Foundation has already begun mobilizing financial support. Imam Qasim stated that he will immediately arrange between $20,000 and $50,000 to assist victim families, especially daily wage workers who are in desperate need.

Focus on last rites and dignity

Beyond immediate relief, Al Khair Foundation is also responding to requests related to the last rites and burials. With many victims having lost entire families, distant relatives or even unrelated volunteers are left to handle cremations and burials.

“We will assist without any boundary of faith or discrimination,” said Imam Qasim. “In fact, I think we will be able to assist everybody in that.”

The organization’s humanitarian approach is rooted in compassion beyond religious lines. Imam Qasim reiterated his commitment to helping every affected family, regardless of background.

Aid beyond borders

The Air India crash has united people across faiths and countries in grief and action. As bodies begin to be handed over from BJ Medical College, many international and local groups are coordinating to help the bereaved families deal with logistical, emotional, and spiritual challenges.

“People of all faiths have come across,” reported Damayanti, from outside BJ Medical College, where the deceased are being released and DNA tests conducted.

The story of Al Khair Foundation is just one example of how humanitarian assistance has no borders in times of profound loss.

The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.