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‘The Window Shook, The Sky Lit Up': Indian Students Recount Their Escape From War-Torn Iran
New Delhi: The fear does not fade quickly – not after you have watched missiles streak above your roof, not after you have wondered if you would make it home again. One by one, the Indian students – who were evacuated from different regions of Iran – stepped off a special flight in New Delhi this week carried more than just their luggage. They brought home stories of survival – of days spent in fear, of parents who did not sleep and of goodbyes they did not expect to say so soon.
Yasir Ghaffar had been in Iran pursuing his studies when the war spiraled. He remembers the nights clearly. The sound of sirens. The shaking windows. The flash in the sky.
'I saw things I never imagined. I saw missiles and heard explosions echo through the night. I am grateful to be back. I will return when peace returns,' he said.
Yasir was among 110 Indian students evacuated from northern Iran as part of Operation Sindhu, a government-led mission launched after tensions between Israel and Iran escalated dramatically.
The students were first driven to Armenia across the border, then flown out from Yerevan under the Indian embassy's supervision. Their families had been waiting in Delhi, many since the night before – clinging to updates and praying for names on manifests.
'The Window Shook as the Missile Passed Over'
Maryam Rose was studying at a university dormitory in Urmia, one of the northern cities close to the conflict zone. Her voice trembled as she described what she lived through.
'One night at 3 AM, a missile flew over our building. The entire window of my room rattled. We could see the trails in the sky. It did not feel real until it did,' she narrated the horror.
She still remembers the panic in her dorm – students waking each other, checking on friends and calling family back home.
Another student, Aman Nazar from Delhi, said returning felt surreal. 'It is hard to put into words what it means to see your family again. My father has been waiting for days. The situation back there was unbearable. I did not think we would get out,' he said.
For Humaira Sadiq, the joy of reuniting with her parents comes with a different kind of heartbreak – the interruption of her studies. She was in her final year and had planned to return home after graduation.
'I never imagined I would have to leave like this. It is painful. But when things unfolded the way they did, we had no choice. We could not even think of completing the semester,' she said.
Parents Who Waited, Prayed and Held On
Hours before Maaz Haider's arrival were some of the longest for his parents. They waited outside the airport gates from midnight.
'He called us from Iran and said he wanted to come back. He felt the tension there. Before we could even book anything, the government had already begun evacuations. That was a blessing,' said his father.
Haider's eyes were fixed on the arrival gate. Arshi, his wife, kept whispering prayers.
Another father, Dr. Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, stood silently with a garland for his son Samir, who returned after two years in Urmia studying medicine.
'When the bombs started falling, the worry at home never stopped. Every day felt longer than the last. Now that he is back, I can finally breathe,' said Dr. Alam.
Operation Sindhu: A Brief Introduction
The Indian government launched the operation in response to the rapid military escalation between Israel and Iran, especially after strikes intensified in Tehran, Isfahan and other major cities.
Phase-1 of the evacuation focused on students from Urmia and surrounding areas. These students were first moved by road to Armenia, from where they boarded a special flight to New Delhi.
More Indian nationals, including those stuck deeper within Iran, are expected to be evacuated in the coming days.
As the war rages on, those who made it out cannot help but think of the classmates and friends still behind. And while they are grateful, the weight of what they have witnessed and those they have left behind will stay with them.
