CHIKKAMAGALURU: Former adviser to the Ministry of Overseas Indians, Arathi Krishna, helped a medical student from Chikkamagaluru, who was stuck in Cebu in the Philippines, return home. So far, she has helped around 40,000 stranded expatriates from coastal regions and Chikkamagaluru working in Gulf countries reach home.
Ishwarya, daughter of Satyapal, a coffee planter, was pursuing MBBS at a college in Cebu. She landed at Chennai airport on August 1 and, after three days of quarantine, she finally reached home in Chikkamagaluru.
When the Covid-19 pandemic started spreading in the Philippines in June, Ishwarya’s parents were worried about their daughter’s condition. Satyapal made various attempts and contacted national leaders from Karanataka to help his daughter, but in vain. Finally, he was able to contact Arathi Krishna, daughter of former Congress minister Begane Ramaiah, with the help of former ZP president B L Ramdas.
Arathi Krishna, who has been helping expatriates return home, contacted the Indian ambassador and arranged for a seat for Ishwrya on a Chennai-bound flight. Satyapal told TNIE, “My daughter’s return journey would not have been possible without Arathi’s help. We went to Chennai to receive her and she was quarantined in a hotel for three days as per rules. She later tested negative for Covid.”