58 LPU STUDENTS OF BANGLADESH AND AFGHANISTAN REACHED THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRY THROUGH INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

Jalandhar: Continuing with the evacuation process of lockdown-students of different nations from the campus, Lovely Professional University (LPU) has now managed to send 58 more students of Bangladesh & Afghanistan to their respective country through International Flights. Carrying these students, Flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines & Ariana Afghan Airlines had taken off from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi. In this regard, Embassies of Bangladesh and Afghanistan in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs of the country and Local Administration of the Punjab Government assisted LPU authorities. Two groups of 54 more students of these nations are to reach their country within a next few days.
Lovely Professional University (LPU) has one of the largest numbers of international students studying in India. Though the university is closed; however, because of the lockdown, many of the international and national students have not been able to go back to their respective home state or country. As a unique initiative, LPU coordinated with Embassies of Bangladesh and Afghanistan in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs of the country and Local Administration of the Punjab Government to send 35 students of Bangladesh and 23 Afghan students in respective flight of their country. 
In this regard, two separate batches of these students were sent to IGI Airport New Delhi through free transportation facility, after necessary health screening and as per Corona pandemic directives observance. During the complete process, social distancing was maintained and students were screened on various health parameters by the medical specialists at the LPU Campus, as well as by the Health Department of the Punjab Government.
Head Division of International Affairs at LPU, Mr Aman Mittal informs: “We had been in touch with Governments of Bangladesh and Afghanistan and their respective Embassy in New Delhi for many weeks to transit these students back to their home country. In fact, LPU has a good number of Bangladeshi and Afghan students; however, due to the lockdown these as well many other far-off national and international students could not be able to go back to their respective state or country. India had closed down all the roads and the international air border, thereby cancelling all rail-road transportation and the flights. We are now happy and feel indebted to the respective Governments and Embassies for their initiative to help out our students. We are also thankful to the Government of India, Punjab State and Local authorities that have played a crucial role in providing the relevant support.”