‘Conquer every situation with a positive attitude’

This Amdavadi businessman has been in not one, not two but three life-threatening incidents, but he emerged on the other side a stronger, braver person with a positive outlook towards life

Kamalesh Rasiklal Mehta, 61 Businessman

Life-altering incidents:
• First plane crash in 1990

• Second plane crash-like experience in 1998

• Hit by a tsunami wave during a cruise in 2010

Biggest takeaway
Be courageous in the face of danger, and life will go on

I have faced a few ‘turbulences’ in my life, and each time, I believe, I came out of it alive because I remained courageous in the face of danger.

1990

The first near-death experience I had was on February 14, 1990, while travelling from Ahmedabad to then-Bangalore via Mumbai. I was going there with three of my friends — Kashyap Desai, Iqbal Mirza and Nayan Gosalia — to participate in an exhibition. We were supposed to travel by train, but took a flight instead as one of the friends needed to reach early, the same friend who sat on the other side of the aisle and the one (Nayan) whom we would not meet after this journey.

As we were about to land, when half of the passengers in the flight were asleep, the three of us were talking about a plane crash two years ago, when we lost another friend of ours. Suddenly, we realised the flight was descending abnormally. Besides, the airport and runway were nowhere to be seen. We could only see the city and its buildings. We prepared ourselves to face the worst, and I think that is what saved us from the crash.

The plane crash-landed in a golf course next to the airport, and later caught fire. Our seats were in the rows 1-14, right above the fuel tank. Only three of us in those 14 rows survived the crash. We somehow managed to help ourselves out of the debris. The last thing I remember is taking out money from my wallet and giving out hundred bucks to anyone I could see, asking them to call up my family and let them know that I am alive. Many of them called, and that made a lot of difference because a media board’s newsflash informed citizens that all the passengers and crew on board the flight were killed. The phone calls came as a relief to my family members. If someone would have seen the condition of the plane, they wouldn’t have believed anyone would have survived. After the incident, I was scared to travel by aeroplane for six months. Later, when a saint asked me the probability of a person being involved in a plane crash twice, I realised the chances are almost nil. After that, I never felt scared. Even when it’s a bumpy ride and people are shouting out of fear, I stay calm.

1998

Something similar happened during my flight from Kalamazoo to Toronto. The Kalamazoo airport is really small, and the weather was bad that day. Besides, it was just a 20-seater aircraft with one crew member. I told my partner I wouldn’t board. The crew member probably overheard me and informed the pilot, who assured me that he will not risk his life. This was the same pilot who later announced that the situation was beyond his control, but also promised the passengers that he would ensure that the flight lands safely. The crew member was scared, but we landed safely despite the worst conditions.

2010

The third incident occurred on a cruise to Alaska in June 2010. I always travel in a group, and so we were five couples together on the ship, ‘Rhapsody of the seas’. That fateful night, we were at the restaurant on the twelfth floor, enjoying the high waves. But when the crew member informed us that she hadn’t seen waves like these in her 25-year career, we realised this is not normal. We rushed downstairs with buckets in our hands. The storm was so fierce that a person standing in the corridor could have been easily thrown off. The next day, all passengers assembled in a large hall, where we were informed that we had survived a tsunami wave.

Now, I hardly get scared of anything. If I do, I conquer it with a positive attitude. I have learned that every situation passes by. When we don’t have any option, the best thing is to stay courageous. Being scared does more damage, while courage helps you a lot. When you are courageous, you are safer than the ones who are not brave. The same thing should be applied in the present situation when the world is struggling against coronavirus. Don’t be afraid, face it bravely.
- As told to Anushree Vijaya Harshan