Twenty-one persons, mostly students from Tamil Nadu who were pursuing higher education in war-hit Israel, arrived in Chennai and Coimbatore on Friday.
The Union and Tamil Nadu governments coordinated their evacuation and travel to their respective hometowns as part of ‘Operation Ajay’. They were among the 212 Indians who were evacuated from Israel on an Air India flight that arrived in New Delhi on Friday.
While 14 of the 21 Tamils reached Chennai airport, the remaining seven landed in Coimbatore. Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, North Chennai MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy and the Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, Jacintha Lazarus, welcomed the returnees at Chennai airport. The Collector received those who arrived at Coimbatore airport.
The returnees heaved a sigh of relief. From being rudely awoken by the sound of sirens and alerts on their mobile phones about impending attacks to being repatriated back home, it had been quite a journey for them.
Venkatadri Babu, a 35-year-old resident of Rajapalayam in Tiruvallur district who studies at Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, Israel, said, “We were consumed by fear and shock. We immediately went to a nearby bunker and stayed there. But it was quite stressful for me and my family till I returned home. Soon after, when my friends and I came to know that a staff of the university had died, all of us were upset. I am more than relieved to be back home,” he said.
Vimal Krishnasamy Manivannan Chitra, a 28-year-old resident of Coimbatore who went to Be’er Sheva to pursue a master’s degree in electronics and computer engineering two years ago, said, “There were 60 - 70 people from India living close by, and we would usually celebrate festivals together. As soon as we were able to get in touch with the government, we prepared a Google document listing the names of people from Tamil Nadu, and started looking for ways to leave the country,” he said.
Mr. Vimal said he had almost completed his course, and had not decided if he would go back. “Many people go to Israel for higher studies because, when compared to places like the U.K. and the U.S., it is slightly easier to get admission there. It is also affordable as scholarships are easier to get,” he added.
The 21 returnees are from Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Karur, Namakkal, Pudukkottai, Theni, Tiruchi, Tiruvarur and Virudhunagar districts. Around 100 more Tamils remain in Israel, and are expected to be evacuated to India under ‘Operation Ajay’.
While the Union External Affairs Ministry evacuated the Tamils from Israel to New Delhi, the Tamil Nadu government arranged for their food and travel to Chennai and Coimbatore, and eventually to their hometowns.
