55 Karnataka students have returned safely so far under ‘Operation Ganga’

MEA had initially estimated that 455 students from Karnataka were stranded in Ukraine

Karnataka Minister R Ashoka (C) welcomes Indian nationals, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, upon their arrival at the airport in Bengaluru, Sunday, Feb 27, 2022. Credit: PTI Photo

The state government has been successful in safely bringing back 55 students from the war-hit Ukraine under the Centre’s ‘Operation Ganga’ programme.

A total of 55 students out of the 694 Karnataka-origin students stuck in various parts of Ukraine were brought back till Tuesday, in eight batches.

According to officials, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), which is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to bring back the students, had initially estimated that 455 students from Karnataka were stranded in Ukraine.

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“The KSDMA had set up a responsive web app within 12 hours of the declaration of war, to collect relevant and authentic information of stranded persons from the state. Further, after taking inputs from the Government of India, the number was ascertained to be 694 students as on Tuesday,” explained Manoj Rajan, nodal officer and commissioner, KSDMA.

Efforts are underway to bring back the remaining 639 students.

The first batch of 12 students came back to Bengaluru on February 27, through Mumbai.

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The second batch of 5 students and the third batch of 13 students came back on the same day via Delhi.

On February 28, seven students came back via Delhi and on March 1, eight students came back via Delhi and eight via Mumbai.

The KSDMA has deployed a team of officials in various districts to engage with the families of the students and lend them moral support.

“KSDMA has deputed district teams of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and tahsildars to visit the families. The teams briefed the parents about the situation on the ground and the steps taken for evacuating those stranded,” Rajan explained.

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