TV
It was a flight no student ever imagined boarding—not for a dream, but for survival. Early Thursday morning, 110 Indian students landed at Delhi airport, their faces etched with fear, relief, and exhaustion. They were the first to be evacuated from war-ravaged Iran under Operation Sindhu, a special mission launched by the Indian government as tensions escalated between Iran and Israel.
Among them was Mir Khalif, an MBBS student, whose voice trembled as he recalled the horrifying days. “We saw missiles in the sky and heard bombs in our neighbourhood... We were petrified. The building shook with every blast,” he said, visibly shaken.
Living a Nightmare in Iran
The students, many of whom hailed from Jammu and Kashmir, were studying medicine in cities like Tehran and Urmia. As aerial attacks intensified, they were swiftly moved to Armenia before being flown home.
“We were the first group to be rescued,” said Varta, a student from Kashmir. “Our neighbourhood was under attack. It felt like a war movie—but real. When the Indian government reached our doorstep, it felt like home had come to take us back.”
For Ali Akbar, a student from Delhi, the destruction was too close for comfort. “We saw a missile and a drone fall from the sky while travelling in a bus. Tehran is in ruins. The images on TV are real—the fear was real.”
Anxious Wait Ends for Parents
Back home, parents stood waiting with tearful eyes at Delhi airport. Haider Ali, father of student Maaz Haider, said, “We are grateful, but many students are still stuck. Our prayers are with them.”
Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr added, “The Indian Embassy took good care of our children in Armenia. We are thankful, but we won’t breathe easy until all of them return safely.”
With PTI Inputs
