New Delhi [India], June 28 : Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA)wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Saturday, expressing gratitude for the evacuation of 1,300 Kashmiri students from conflict-hit Iran.
JKSA wrote, "We, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, on behalf of thousands of relieved and grateful families across the Kashmir Valley, extend our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to you and your government for the swift, decisive, and compassionate evacuation of over 1,300 Kashmiri students and other families from the Islamic Republic of Iran, amid the rapidly escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel."
"This intervention brought immense relief, joy, and emotional solace to the families who had spent countless sleepless nights, consumed by fear and uncertainty regarding the safety of their children. The students were terrified, traumatised, and in extremely vulnerable positions. Their families were in deep distress, pleading for help and the safe return of their wards. These students, trapped in cities like Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Qom, Gilan, Tabriz, Yazd, and Ahvaz, endured severe psychological distress amid active conflict zones. The safe return of these students to their homeland, and into the arms of their anxious and long-waiting families especially in Jammu and Kashmir brought an end to days of fear and uncertainty, offering much-needed emotional peace and relief," the letter read.
The Students Association said that the attack near the Hujjatdost Dormitory at Tehran University of Medical Sciences left two Kashmiri students injured. Still, students were immediately relocated after the matter was brought to the attention of the MEA.
"Sir, your government's timely intervention came at a moment when hope was beginning to fade. While citizens of other nations were left to face the risks on their own, without support or assistance, Indian students remained under constant threat. The attack near the Hujjatdost Dormitory at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, which left two Kashmiri students injured, highlighted the grave danger they were facing. After we raised the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs, the students were immediately relocated to safer locations and provided due care. Following your personal and governmental intervention, they were finally evacuated on 19 special flights under Operation Ganga and returned safely to their respective native places in Kashmir. Your response to our urgent appeals ensured that their suffering did not go unheard," the Association wrote.
Expressing gratitude, the Students Association added, "We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your prompt and effective intervention in facilitating the safe evacuation of our students. The timely and coordinated efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), under your leadership and guidance, ensured that all 1,300 Kashmiri students and other families were safely brought back to India and reunited with their families."
"The prompt assistance provided by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) brought tremendous relief to the frightened and anxious families across the Valley. The care and priority given to the safety of Kashmiri students from the initial response to the final leg of their journey was nothing short of exemplary. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association had written to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister, who took up the matter immediately from day one, as soon as the escalation began. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy remained in constant touch with us from the very first day the conflict and escalation began between Iran and Israel. Your swift response and prioritisation of the students' safety led to their successful and timely evacuation," the letter read.
The students thanked the Indian Embassy in Iran for ground-level coordination and communication.
"We are also deeply thankful for the crucial role played by the Indian Embassy in Iran as well. Their on-ground coordination, efficient handling of documentation, and sensitive communication with the students and their institutions were pivotal in ensuring their safety. The coordinated travel arrangements to border crossings, relocations to safer zones like Mashad, Qom, Ramsar, and Armenia, and final airlifts to India via Mashad and Yerevan were masterfully executed," the students wrote.
They added that the students who had lost their passports or faced documentation issues were also assisted.
"Students who had lost their passports or faced documentation issues were also assisted swiftly, thanks to your direct intervention. The MEA's sensitive and efficient handling of such challenges ensured no student was left behind," the letter further read.
Lauding the communication efforts, the student body added, "The setting up of emergency helplines, creation of WhatsApp and Telegram-based crisis communication channels, and direct embassy-student coordination were all hallmarks of a humane, efficient, and responsive evacuation process. These measures must be acknowledged as a benchmark in citizen protection and evacuation diplomacy."
"Sir, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association recognises that this evacuation was more than a logistical exercise; it was a deeply humanitarian act rooted in national duty and compassion. Your leadership sent a clear message to every Kashmiri household that; their children matter, their lives are valued, and the Indian government stands resolutely by its citizens, regardless of geography or adversity," the students wrote.
"This act of care and timely intervention has not only saved lives but has renewed faith in the protective embrace of the Indian government especially among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, many of whom have long yearned for such responsive and inclusive governance," the letter added.
The Association also noted the Centre's efforts in evacuating during conflicts across the globe.
Jammu and Kashmir Students Association wrote, "This is not the first instance of the Government of India standing firmly for its citizens. During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Bangladesh reservation crisis, the Afghanistan-U.S. war, and the Syrian unrest, your government's efforts ensured the safety and return of thousands of Indian citizens, many of them from Jammu and Kashmir."
"Such actions reflect the Government of India's, the Ministry of External Affairs', and the Indian Embassy's consistent dedication to ensuring the safety, dignity, and even religious aspirations of Indian citizens, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir. The PMO and MEA's commitment has been a beacon of hope and reassurance to distressed families in the most turbulent times," the letter read.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, a special flight carrying 272 Indian nationals and three Nepalese citizens stranded in conflict-hit Iran's Mashhad landed safely in New Delhi, taking the total number of people evacuated under Operation Sindhu to 3,426. Evacuees thanked the Iranian and Indian governments for evacuating them from conflict-hit Iran under Operation Sindhu.