Meet the unsung expat heroes helping Indians reach home

They are a bunch of Mumbaikars and Punekars who settled in Dubai a few decades ago and have come together to do everything in their power to repatriate the unfortunate ones who lost jobs houses and have expired visas midday speaks to the good Samaritans of the United Konkan Community and business tycoons who have become lifesavers for Indians stuck in the UAESabina Junaid Shaikh 44 who hails from Andheri and is settled in Dubai for 16 years is a wellknown name among the Konkanispeaking communities in Dubai and UAEOver 90000 people from Kokan are expats in UAEs various Emirates The ongoing COVID19 pandemic and lockdown left more than 1000 Kokanis stranded here Everyone was waiting to be accommodated on a Vande Bharat Mission VBM flight but there were some restrictions on coming to Mumbai airport After waiting for almost three months people started losing hope Shaikh saidSabina Shaikh with United Konkan Community membersSome had come looking for a job and their Visas expired Others were visiting relatives Many had lost their jobs A few needed medical attention including pregnant women said Dilawar Dalwai another member of the groupMember Khalid Mukadam said Dubais government allowed those with expired Visas to stay till August 10 without levying a penalty Everyone is trying to help We sponsored flight tickets for some who did not have money leftGiving the example of Abhijeet Shinde whos experience was reported by midday on July 17 Shaikh said It was a distress call that Khalid bhai received We were also concerned about his safety So we decided to help him stay in a hotel paid for by Khalid bhaiMukadam added The situation is slowly coming back to normal in Dubai but those who are fired will be left in the lurch as their Visas will be terminated The pandemic has adversely affected the hospitality and tourism industryWe are happy we could help people of Maharashtra and Mumbai There are many more who still need help and hopefully as flights resume they will return home Dalwai saidGood networking helpedRahul Tulpule founder and CEO Covenant Tel Group and vicepresident Gulf Maharashtra Business Forum GMBF helped many distressed and sick Mumbaikars and Punekars return He worked closely with the Maharashtra Mandal Dubai and other community groups for repatriationBusinessman and good Samaritan Rahul TulpuleTulpule said There were 8000 people from Mumbai and 2000 from Pune It was difficult to decide whom to send first Pregnant women sick and elderly people etc were shortlisted A few seats were kept open for emergenciesTulpule helped arrange two charter flights with 181 passengers in each in midJune He was in touch with the DGCA civil aviation ministry the Indian consulate among others After those flights I decided to help the United Konkan Community and the Al Adil Group With 181200 passengers in each of the five charter flights we have sent home over 1000 people he saidHe regrets not being able to help more people Many passengers from other states started calling for help but it was practically not possible to coordinate at the ground level Tulpule saidBizman sponsors ticketsDr Dhananjay Dhatar 56 chairman and managing director Al Adil Trading LLC is a business tycoon from Dubai originally from Akol He is based in Dubai for 36 years He sponsored air tickets for many stranded people from Maharashtra and the rest of IndiaDhatar said Flights from Dubai to Mumbai started only recently That is why 65000 Indians from Maharashtra including workers students tourists etc are still stranded Of these penniless workers who lost their jobs are suffering moreOur company decided to sponsor the travel and medical tests of countless workers who lost their jobs Some of them had to take shelter in public parks he saidPassengers speakKishore Shetty 36 who hails from Mangalore got help from Tulpule after his mother died After receiving the news of his mothers death Shetty phoned Tulpule just six hours before the departure time I could sense his urgency so I asked him to rush to the airport immediately Tulpule saidThe returning Indians inside the special charter planeShetty told midday in a voice clip On June 12 my mother was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack She was to be discharged soon but suddenly I was informed of her death Rahul Tulpule not only arranged for a ticket but even sponsored it for me I will never forget him and his helpRahat Shaikh 23 name changed a pregnant woman from Kalwa visited Abu Dhabi to meet her husband on January 25 Her Visa was valid for 100 days but due to the pandemic she had to extend her stay My husband did not have medical insurance and any medical treatment without insurance is very expensive in Abu Dhabi So I had to return to India I am due in December the woman saidShe praised United Konkan Communitys Sabina Khot as her charter air ticket was in the waitlist and she was already worried due to several cancellations Sabina helped get my ticket confirmed and got me a seat on the flight Rahat 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