Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, a UAE-based entrepreneur and founder of VPS Healthcare, has pledged ₹6 crore to support the families of the four medical students who died in the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad. The students – Manav, Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash were from BJ Medical College and were killed while having lunch in their hostel mess when the crash occurred.
In a heartfelt message on X, Dr. Vayalil expressed deep sorrow, calling the victims “future frontline heroes” who were training to save lives. “They were preparing to save lives, not lose their own,” he wrote, sharing photos of the students. Reflecting on his own experience of living in medical hostels, he described the pledge as a deeply personal one, adding, “The images felt painfully familiar.”
The crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff, is among the worst aviation disasters in recent Indian history. Besides the loss of the four students, 20 others were injured. According to the BJMC Junior Doctors’ Association, 11 students have been discharged and the rest are recovering. Four family members of super-specialty doctors also lost their lives, and one resident doctor’s wife is undergoing treatment for injuries.
Who is Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil?
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the GCC. Starting his career as a radiologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, he launched his first hospital in 2007 LLH Hospital after only a year in clinical practice. His vision has since transformed into a robust healthcare network comprising 16 hospitals, over 23 medical centers, a pharmaceutical manufacturing arm, and other allied healthcare services across the Middle East and India.
His businesses are run under VPS Healthcare, his family office, which manages a diversified portfolio including Burjeel Holdings, LifePharma, Lakeshore Hospital, Ziva, Keita, RPM (Response Plus Medical), and the Educare Institute. Dr. Shamsheer also serves as the Chairman of Amanat Holdings, a public investment company focused on healthcare and education.
Dr. Vayalil has a track record of scaling businesses to fill gaps in healthcare access and quality. Two of his companies Response Plus Holding and Burjeel Holdings have been successfully listed on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange. His brands, such as Burjeel, Medeor, LLH, Lifecare, and Tajmeel, serve over 4.3 million patients annually and employ more than 10,000 healthcare professionals.
In 2022, Burjeel Holdings signed an MoU with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment to explore healthcare projects worth up to $1 billion by 2030. His group continues to expand across the MENA region, focusing on super-specialty care, technological innovation, and attracting top global medical talent, particularly in oncology, cardiovascular, and pediatric services.
Dr. Shamsheer’s philanthropic commitment is as strong as his business drive. His initiatives go far beyond healthcare infrastructure. Notable efforts include the “100 Free Heart Surgeries” campaign in memory of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, large-scale breast cancer screenings, and health outreach for underprivileged workers across Asia and Africa.
He has also responded quickly to humanitarian crises, offering rehabilitation support to disaster victims. His CSR campaigns focus on health awareness, screenings, and preventive care, positively impacting countless lives.
Education and Youth Empowerment
Driven by a deep gratitude to the UAE for nurturing his ambitions, Dr. Shamsheer supports several youth-centric initiatives. He partnered with Oxford’s Saïd Business School on a climate action platform and backed the Future Medical Stars program in Abu Dhabi to add 10,000 Emiratis to the healthcare workforce. He also created a million-dirham fund for incubating healthcare business ideas among high school students and launched international career development programs for Emirati nurses.
Honors and Recognition
Dr. Vayalil’s contributions have earned him prestigious accolades, including India’s Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the GPF Global Humanitarian Award (2015), and long-term residency honors from the UAE and Oman. He serves on the UAE Medical Council and the advisory board of the University of Sharjah College of Medicine.
A graduate of Kasturba Medical College, India, with specialty training in radiology, Dr. Shamsheer hails from Kozhikode, Kerala. Today, he continues to lead with compassion and foresight, striving to make healthcare more accessible and empowering the next generation of changemakers.