Patna, June 14 (IANS) Students and faculty of St. Xavier’s College, Patna came together on Saturday to hold a heartfelt condolence meeting in memory of Manisha Thapa, a former student and Air India crew member, who tragically lost her life in the recent Air India plane crash.

Manisha, who studied at the college from 2014 to 2017, was remembered as a bright and inspiring presence on campus. The news of her untimely death has left the Xavier’s community in profound grief.

“Manisha was not just a student; she was a star among her peers,” recalled Kalpana Kumari, Head of the Business Economics Department.

“She was driven, kind-hearted, and full of promise. The Xavier family has lost a child, and her absence will always be felt.”

Her former classmate Alvin said, “We still can’t process the news. She was someone who always stood out — in academics, activities, everything. Her energy and smile were contagious.”

Manisha, a native of Patna with ancestral ties to Viratnagar, Nepal, had recently joined Air India after serving with IndiGo. She was on duty as a flight attendant aboard Air India flight AI-171, which crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.

The ill-fated flight, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, lost control shortly after take-off and crashed near City Civil Hospital and BJ Medical College, devastating a residential area and killing several on the ground.

Manisha’s family lives near Shyama Apartment on Jagdev Path in Patna. Her father, Raju Thapa, is with Bihar Police in Begusarai, while her mother Laxmi is a homemaker. Her younger brother, Amit, is still a student. Two of her uncles serve in the Bihar Special Armed Police.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and reviewed ongoing rescue efforts, expressing deep sorrow at the lives lost.

In Patna, the air at St Xavier’s remained heavy with grief — but also filled with tributes, prayers, and memories of a life that, though short, touched many.

--IANS

jk/rad