On-board rescue flight, Smriti Irani welcomes stranded Indians from Ukraine in 4 languages

Ukraine crisis is impacting the world in countless ways. Reports of bombings and casualties are flooding the internet and nations are scrambling to evacuate their citizens stranded in the war-torn country. Any good news is reassuring in times like these.

Just like with other countries, several Indians too have been stranded in Ukraine. However, the Indian government has been undertaking concerted efforts to evacuate Indian nationals from the country under attack by Russia.

On Wednesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani was among the ministers who welcomed students returning from Ukraine. Irani surprised the students by welcoming them in not one, but four Indian languages. The minister used Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati, and Marathi to welcome the students.


Irani tweeted a video, where she can be seen welcoming students. She also raised slogans ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ while addressing the students. “I am grateful for your resilience, for your courage and patience,” she said to the students.
The students were aboard an IndiGo airlines aircraft when Irani addressed them. The union minister also commended the students saying that they have shown ‘exemplary courage’ in the ‘most challenging times’. Irani was also seen hugging Indian students evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, on their arrival at IGI Airport, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

As part of the ‘Operation Ganga’, 31 evacuation flights will be operated to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to bring back over 6,300 Indian students stranded in the eastern European country. Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, Indigo, and the Indian Air Force will operate flights under the ‘Operation Ganga’ mission.

As many as 21 flights have been operational from Bucharest in Romania, while four from Budapest in Hungary from March 02.