"We are making ourselves strong so his wife and kids get a better life."
Piyushkumar Patel stands with his wife Ruchita, and daughters Kiya (right) and Pranshi (left). Photo supplied by Patel family. A Regina father killed in the Air India crash last week had planned his flights back to Saskatchewan so he could be home in time to celebrate his daughters birthday, says his cousin.
Piyushkumar Patel leaves behind a wife and two young girls, ages seven and two.
He was a good father and he was doing everything for them, Dhurvest Patel told the Leader-Post on Tuesday, noting that his late cousin had just wrapped up a month-long work trip in India and was on his way to surprise his little girl when tragedy struck.
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Dhurvest was among approximately 100 people who attended a memorial service on Monday at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan temple in south Regina. They gathered to pray for the lives lost on June 12 (at least 270) when London-bound flight AI 171 crashed into a residential building shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad, India.
Mostly wearing white to symbolize purity and peace, the group joined together in an invocation prayer of Om Shanti Shanti Shanti a wish of peace for the departed souls and strength for the grieving families.
People came up to a microphone one at a time to reflect on the lives lost in western India. Some women wiped tears from their faces, inhaling before joining everyone in softly clapping along with the calm chanting songs.
Dhurvest who is Piyushkumars only relative in Regina, aside from his wife and children said hes thankful for the support of the local Gujarat community, which has wrapped itself around the family in mourning.
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We are making ourselves strong so his wife and kids get a better life, Dhurvest said.
Reginas Gujarati community gathered at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan temple on June 16, 2025 for a memorial and prayer service to mourn Piyushkumar Patel, who died in the Air India crash.
Photo by Nykole King/REGINA LEADER-POST
They dont know
Dhurvest said he learned about the crash a few hours after it happened from his mother in India.
He said his thoughts immediately turned to his cousins young family here in Regina, to whom he had to deliver the news.
It was a hard time for me, but there was a responsibility for me, Dhurvest said. His wife and his two small daughters are here and they dont know.
Dhurvest said he called Piyushkumars wife, Ruchita, at 6 a.m.
Ruchita along with daughters Kiya and Pranshi flew back to the western state of Gujarat to identify Piyushkumars body at the hospital on Saturday, Dhurvest said. Kiya, who turned seven that day, provided a DNA sample to match to her fathers remains, he added.
It is unclear when the family will be back in Regina.
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Dhurvest Patel and Niket Patel attended the memorial and prayer service for Piyushkumar Patel at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan temple on June 16, 2025 in Regina.
Photo by Nykole King/REGINA LEADER-POST
Piyushkumar moved to the city with his wife and daughters from Gujarat state in October 2024. He had been living in Canada on permanent residence status.
While Piyushkumar was still looking for a job in Regina, he had optimism about his familys new life and saw a bright future for his two daughters, Dhurvest said.
He was sometimes telling me, This is the place, the country, where I can make my whole familys life good, he recalled.
The whole family was too excited, added family friend Niket Patel, recalling their optimism eight months ago while starting a life in Canada.
When Niket drove through the familys south Regina neighbourhood, he would often see them out together for a stroll.
He was a nice husband for his wife and a nice father for his two daughters, Niket said. He used to spend good time with his family as well, like evening walks a lot.
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While Dhurvest and Niket are in mourning, theyre also focused on providing support to a family which depended so greatly on him.
The community has organized a GoFundMe to help Ruchita and her daughters with living costs and other needs. It had reached over $30,000 as of Tuesday.
Reginas Gujarati community gathered at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan temple on June 16, 2025 for a memorial and prayer service to mourn Piyushkumar Patel, who died in the Air India crash.
Photo by Nykole King/REGINA LEADER-POST
with files from the National Post
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