Lamnunthem, the only daughter among three siblings raised by her single mother, had defied odds to pursue an aviation career.
Manipur: What began as a routine duty call for Lamnunthem Singson turned into heartbreak for an entire community. One of two flight attendants from Manipur on board Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, she was among the 241 people killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
Hailing from Kangpokpi district, Lamnunthem had recently joined Air India in early 2024. For her mother, Nemneilhing Singson, Thursday’s tragedy was not just the loss of a daughter – it was the loss of hope, pride, and the only daughter she had raised as a single parent after the passing of her husband, Lenminlun Singson.
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The Singsons were among thousands displaced by the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur in May 2023. Once residents of Old Lambulane in Imphal, they were forced to flee their homes in the wake of widespread clashes. Since then, the family has been living as internally displaced persons or IDPs in a modest rented home in Ngambom Veng, Kanggui town, Sadar Hills.
On Friday morning, a heavy silence engulfed the narrow lanes of Ngambom Veng. Neighbours and relatives gathered at the Singson household.
“She told me she was travelling to Ahmedabad to report for duty,” Nemneilhing recalled tearfully, her last conversation with her daughter, just hours before the crash. Lamnunthem, the only daughter among three siblings, had defied odds to pursue an aviation career.
The Kuki Students Organisation Delhi extended its heartfelt condolences to her family. “Her passing is an irreparable loss to her bereaved family and to the wider community that took pride in her achievements. In a time marked by social dislocation, political repression, and the trauma of ethnic violence, her death deepens the collective pain of our people,” read the statement.
The Kuki Students Organisation Delhi extends heartfelt Condolences to the family of Miss Lamnunthem Singson, Air India cabin crew member who tragically lost her life in the #Ahmedabad Plane crash. May her soul rest in peace and her family find strength. 🕊️💔#planecrashahmedabad pic.twitter.com/5fdsqPtRPz
— Emraan (@KakarotZX69) June 13, 2025
The Thadou Students’ Association General Headquarters (TSA-GHQ) issued a statement mourning the loss of Lamnunthem Singson and another Manipuri flight attendant, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who also perished in the crash.
“Lamnunthem recently joined Air India as cabin crew in 2024, and her untimely death is a great loss to her family and the Thadou community,” the TSA said. “We extend heartfelt condolences and assure all necessary assistance to the bereaved families during this difficult time,” the statement read.
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Among those mourning were not just family members, but an entire community displaced by one tragedy and now broken by another.
The flight, Air India AI171 bound for London, was carrying 232 passengers and 10 crew members when it crashed near Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad just moments after takeoff at 1:38 pm. The crash resulted in one of the deadliest air disasters in India in recent memory. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash, and rescue operations continued well into the evening.
