Ukraine is the third most popular destination after China and the Philippines for Indian students pursuing medical studies. Every year, thousands of Indian students head to Ukraine to pursue higher education. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation resulting in thousands of Indian students stuck in an active war zone. With the airspace closed, the students and their parents were terrified and in anguish. Thus began Operation Ganga — 90 evacuation flights, more than 22,000 Indians, 147 foreign nationals from 18 countries, and one mission for India.
HistoryTV18 will premiere this inside story in its original documentary — ‘The Evacuation: Operation Ganga’ – produced by Colosceum Media, at 8pm on Saturday (June 17).
‘The Evacuation’ tells the remarkable story that captures the trials and tribulations experienced by Indians students stuck in war-torn Ukraine. It also highlights the perseverance of the Indian government and its strategic approach to bring every Indian back home.
The documentary showcases a blow-by-blow account from days prior to the conflict in February 2022 to the actual break out of the war, and beyond. Operation Ganga is one of the largest evacuation operations to be carried out in the 21st century, in a hostile environment. The narrative is supported by compelling archival footage, graphics and never seen before stories and anecdotes, with details of how the Indian government managed to create green corridors to get our students out safely.
“In the heart of every Indian, there rests a profound faith: No matter the challenge, no matter how daunting the circumstance, they know their government stands with them and will bring them back home safely. This isn’t merely policy – it is our testament of humanity. This is a bond we have seen strengthen time and again, reflecting the indomitable spirit of our nation," says Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sharing important insights, India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar adds an insider perspective of what transpired behind the scenes. Other esteemed figures from India’s foreign service, such as Rahul Shrivastava (Ambassador of India to Romania, Moldova & Albania), Nagma Mallick (Ambassador of India to the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Lithuania), Partha Satpathy (Former Ambassador of India to Ukraine), also shed light on the relentless efforts of Indian diplomats, to ensure that stranded individuals were taken care of, despite extreme weather conditions, visa norms and more.
Speaking of India’s diplomatic efforts, Dr S Jaishankar says, “Our relentless efforts spanned across neighbouring countries like Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and later Moldova, as we sought their cooperation for facilitating the evacuation process from Ukraine. Through diplomatic channels, the Prime Minister engaged with President Putin, securing a cease-fire during the evacuation period and obtaining designated routes for evacuation. While numerous countries struggled to evacuate their citizens with just a couple of flights, India successfully coordinated 90 flights to safely send back Indian students. Our nation’s important voice continues to play a pivotal role in shaping outcomes on the global stage."
Special envoys and senior Ministers also feature in the documentary. Hardeep Puri (Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs & Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas), Gen (Retd) VK Singh (Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation) and Kiren Rijiju (Minister of Earth Sciences) explain how India expedited border crossings in Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, revealing the extraordinary collaboration of state machinery, Indian defence forces, private partners and the Indian diaspora, as never witnessed before.
From the first-hand experiences of students living in bunkers without food and water, to the anxiety of their helpless parents back home, the film juxtaposes fear against the strength of a massive operation focused on a single agenda- to bring every Indian back home. This riveting story showcases representatives of the Indian government at Ukraine’s borders, union ministers being sent as special envoys to fast-track border crossing, and the coming together of the state machinery, Indian defense forces, private partners and the Indian diaspora like never before.
Social and spiritual organisations and corporate establishments stepped in to help the students stay warm, safe and connected with their families. With insights from the Indian Ambassadors in Ukraine and neighbouring countries of Poland, Romania and Hungary, we shed light on how our diplomats worked 24×7 to ensure that the children were taken care of, despite intense weather conditions and visa norms.
This story is a testament to India’s emergence as a global leader and her national flag standing tall as a symbol of a human centric foreign policy.
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