New Delhi, June 14 -- What began as an ordinary day on 12 June quickly turned into one of unimaginable tragedy. Around 2pm, news broke of a plane crash near Ahmedabad airport. My first instinctive hope-that perhaps the aircraft had been empty-was, sadly, too much to ask. Within moments, that regular day became a dark chapter in both India's and global aviation history, as we learned of one of the deadliest air crashes in decades, claiming nearly every life on board.

The loss of 241 souls from across nationalities is a grief we, as a nation, will carry for a long time. While no words can truly suffice, the least we can do is hold the victims in our thoughts and extend strength to the families left behind. May their memories endure, and ma...