Indian students evacuated from Iran return home, hail embassy’s ‘life-saving’ role

After days of anxiety, exhaustion, and uncertainty, the first batch of 110 Indian students evacuated from Iran finally landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in the early hours of June 19 — bringing tears, relief, and stories of extraordinary courage.

Among the parents waiting anxiously outside Gate 4 was Arshi Haider, who hadn’t slept for four days. She clutched her phone tightly, scanning every student emerging from the terminal, hoping to spot her 21-year-old son Maaz — a first-year medical student at Urmia University. The wait stretched painfully as she ran from one gate to another on hearing he may have exited elsewhere.

Around her, families crowded with bated breath — many perched on luggage trolleys for hours, some whispering prayers, others just staring into the arrivals hall.

The students were evacuated from Iran amid escalating tensions with Israel under India’s emergency Operation Sindhu. They were first transported to Armenia before being flown back home on Indigo flight 6E 9487 via Qatar.

Tamheed Islam, a final-year MBBS student from Jammu and Kashmir, was among the first to step out. Describing the tense atmosphere in Iran, he said, “Urmia was relatively safer, but we could see missiles and drones in other areas. The situation was unpredictable.”

Islam, like many others, praised the Indian authorities. “The Indian embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs were incredible. They remained in constant touch and reassured us at every step.”

For some, the evacuation journey itself became an unforgettable ordeal. Muskaan Shabir, a 25-year-old MBBS student from Kashmir, recalled how four students faced last-minute visa and passport issues at the Armenian border. “We were worried one of our friends would be left behind. But the embassy officials assured us they would even drive 15 hours back to Tehran to fix it if needed. Thankfully, it was resolved on the spot.”

Shabir added emotionally, “The embassy staff treated us like we were their own family. We will never forget that.”

While gratitude filled the air, exhaustion weighed heavily too. With no connecting flights arranged for students returning to Kashmir, Shabir voiced a concern many shared: “We are sleep-deprived, jet-lagged and now we’re being told to take a 20-hour bus ride to Kashmir? How can anyone expect us to do that right now?”

For now, however, the overwhelming emotion remained simple: relief. Families reunited, grateful that their loved ones were home safe after a tense international crisis.