Sanghas prove safety net for Kannadigas stuck in Gulf

In one such instance, Karnataka Sangha Qatar helped a family, which had arrived in Qatar on a cruise on March 1 and was stranded due to the conflict, return to India via Dubai once flight services resumed.

Hubballi: Despite living in uncertain times and away from their homeland, Kannadigas in war-affected countries are supporting one another and helping stranded Indians return home safely.

Recently, the senior Indian basketball team was stranded in Qatar. Members of the Karnataka Sangha Qatar ensured that the players — including 3 from Karnataka — were provided with basic facilities and safe passage to Riyadh before boarding a flight to India. The team reached Bengaluru on Monday.

In another instance, a family of eight that had arrived in Qatar on a cruise on March 1 was stranded due to the conflict. The sangha helped the family return to India via Dubai once flight services resumed.

“Though the local government assured us of safety, members of Karnataka Sangha Qatar provided us with home food and care,” said Arvind A, a member of the basketball team. He was part of the 18-member squad in Qatar for a World Cup qualifier. He said Sangha members, in coordination with the Indian embassy, arranged a bus to Dubai so the team could catch a flight home.

Subramanya Hebbagelu, former vice-president of the sangha, said hundreds of Indians and Kannadigas were stranded in Gulf countries after the war broke out.

“We coordinated with Kannadigas across these countries to ensure everyone was safe,” he said.

Sadhan Das, a member of the Kannada Sangha in Dubai, said almost all stranded Kannadigas had now returned home.

“Most of those stuck here were tourists transiting to US or Europe,” he said, adding that sangha members provided them free lodging and boarding. “With the help of local authorities, we ensured that no Kannadiga suffered,” he added.

Members of the sanghas also assisted families facing emergencies. “Some lost loved ones in India and struggled to travel home. We helped arrange travel,” he said.