Datar hopes—with Thackeray’s personal intervention—flights to Mumbai would be permitted soon under the Vande Bharat Mission and the Indians can return. The head of the reputed Al-Adil Trading LLC Group in the UAE, so far Datar has sponsored the tickets of over 1,000 Indians, while the others had booked in advance or possessed return tickets which came in handy.

All those in dire need of repatriation are screened, undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test borne by Al-Adil Group, and complete all other formalities before they are cleared for flights, he said. This is where Indian Consul-General Vipul extended a helping arm to send home his blue and white-collared countrymen. “We have already sent a dozen flights to India, repatriating over 3,000 people. The efforts of Datar come as a breath of fresh air in these times of masked existence. Support, by way of Al-Adil Group sponsoring air tickets and conducting free Covid-19 tests is welcome,” said diplomat Vipul.

Before boarding a flight, one Indian was in tears: “I lost my job and got no pay for two months... I had no money for the air ticket, but now I am returning home.” Another Indian with his 32-weeks pregnant wife was among the most desperate as she could deliver anytime and he wanted the child to be born in India, and he was the lucky one selected.

However, the award-winning entrepreneur Datar rests easy on the laurels he is earning for his humanitarian services from the Indian expats in the UAE. “As a fellow Indian, concerned with the plight of those stranded here, I am simply doing my duty, along with the Indian Consulate and Air Indiaa Many have run out of resources, so we are trying to ensure they return home as early as possible,” Datar said.