Amit Lath Interview Transcription

From Hostility to Hope: The Inspiring Story of Amit Lath, the man who was involved in
#OperationGanga an initiative by Government of India to evacuate thousands of Indian
student during the Russia Ukraine Crisis

In February 2022, the world was shaken by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and everyone
faced the consequences in different ways. However, for the people living in Ukraine, the
situation was dire. People were struggling to flee the volatile region of Ukraine, seeking
refuge in neighboring countries of Belarus, Poland and Romania. Among the millions of
Ukrainian citizens and other groups affected, were over twenty-three thousand Indian
students and nationals who were studying and living in Ukraine. Unable to find any means of
transportation or communication, Indo Polish businessman Amit Lath under co-ordination of
Embassy of India in Poland stepped in to support cause.

Lath has had experience working for social initiatives, having been an active participant in
the IIMUN (India’s International Movement to Unite Nations), one of the world’s largest
youth run organizations, and immediately Embassy of India in Poland in coordination with
Indian Diaspora in Poland found ways to help the people stuck in this situation. In a recent
interview with Amit Lath he explains how the Ukraine-Poland border became inundated with
people.

“There were already thousands of people on the Ukraine-Poland border trying to enter
Poland, desperately trying to find some kind of accommodations within the country,” Lath
says. “Space was always a constraint, and finding rooms and hotels available were very
difficult.”

Under mandate by Embassy of India in Poland, Lath was helpful to find accommodations,
keeping in mind the mandate released by the Government of India which asked for focus to
stay on safety and making sure everyone was in one common Hotel allowing for easier
evacuation. He expanded on how accepting the local citizens of Poland were a huge factor in
the success of this operation, and how their open doors and refuge centers proved to be
invaluable for various Citizens.

Getting people out of Ukraine, Lath describes, as “mission impossible.” Organizing buses
and other means of transportation to make sure everyone was brought to the accommodation
safely, Indian Diaspora under mandate by Govt of India and Embassy of India in Poland
worked tirelessly to get students and adults across the border, and they had even made sure
that medical personnel, catering services and hygiene facilities were available at all the
accommodation sites. Getting the flight details proved to be a task as well, making sure
Polish and Indian authorities were aware of the passengers departing or arriving in the
country, and that all COVID protocols were followed.

“It would be extremely difficult to explain to you how Operation Ganga was actually brought
about, because it was a very difficult operation to see through,” says Lath. “For all central
and state governments of India involved, as well as all the Polish officials who were
responsible for a variety of factors, it was a matter of high responsibility. We need to
remember that we were dealing with the lives of thousands of youngsters, and getting them
from almost few hundred kms away from where they were previously stationed. It was a
mammoth of a job, but thanks to the Government of India, ensuring every citizen was
accounted for and safe, was a huge contributor to the success of the project.”

Lath also mentioned how strong the Indian Diaspora is in Poland. Being a Central European
country, Poland sees a lot of refugees from various calamities around the world. Lath also
mentioned how he was able to send over oxygen concentrators and other supplies to India
during COVID. Referring to the massive earthquake in Turkey as well, Lath reinstated the
idea of being a helping hand having helped as many people as they all could reach, whether
directly or indirectly.

Operation Ganga, although started by the Government of India to help Indian nationals,
quickly attracted a huge population of diverse nationalities seeking help. Saudi Arabia,
Bangladesh, UAE; many of people found refuge and safety through this operation. The
evacuation, as well, spanned numerous countries including Poland, Hungary, Romania and
Slovakia.

For all his spectacular efforts and achievements, Lath was a recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya
Samman Award, presented to him by the President of India. “I was largely representing
everyone involved and all the helping hands of this herculean task that we managed to pull
off,” Lath says, when asked what his feelings were about the award. “I had zero expertise on
how to do things during those hard times, but as a community we managed to do something
impossible, and made it possible. We had one vision, one goal, and we had to make sure we
carried it through.”

A huge portion of his activities consisted of interacting with families and individuals who
were going through this volatile period, and giving them assurance that they would be alright.
He wanted to see through his promises to these people and make sure they reached a safe
harbor. “We were very fortunate we could get every single citizen who came to us to a safe
place.”

Lath explains how he saw the response from the Poland and the Indian side, and how
invested both sides were in making sure as many people as possible were safe. The overall
reaction from authorities of both countries was very positive, and this can be crucial building
blocks for better relations between two countries,” mentions Lath when asked about how this
initiative impacted Europe-India relations.