On June 25, 2025, the US-India Solidarity Mission (USISM) marked the fifth anniversary of its lifesaving “COVID-19 repatriation flight,” a humanitarian initiative that brought “hope, unity, and relief” to hundreds of Indian students and Indian Americans stranded during the global pandemic lockdowns. The commemorative event took place in Tysons Corner, Virginia, and was attended by over 100 people. 

As the COVID-19 crisis escalated in early 2020, many Indians found themselves trapped in the United States – without access to flights, family, or a clear way to return home. In response, USISM launched its mission to organize chartered flights to carry Indian citizens and Indian Americans from the U.S. to Hyderabad.

Founder of USISM, Ravi Puli, reflected on the chaos that followed the initial lockdowns. Thousands of people were stranded across the U.S., prompting him to establish the nonprofit organization to assist those in urgent need of travel back to India.

He activated a broad network – ranging from government officials to business leaders – and, with the help of a dedicated team, coordinated with global airlines, mobilized resources, and provided free travel assistance to students facing extreme hardship.

Puli shared stories of the logistical hurdles he encountered, explaining that the “government was able to help and also was not able to help” during the critical early days of organizing the repatriation effort.

When the global shutdown began in March 2020, both the U.S. and Indian governments launched massive repatriation efforts – India through its “Vande Bharat” mission. But demand far outstripped availability. “As soon as registrations opened for the first flight, there were 30,000 people trying to return for a 300-seat flight,” Puli explained. Travelers were also required to provide documentation justifying their need to travel and were vetted by the Indian Embassy.

To meet this overwhelming demand, Puli independently arranged a charter flight and coordinated with the Embassy, which provided official guidelines for such an initiative. As word spread, more than 2,000 people registered for USISM’s service. However, his first two attempts at launching the flight failed due to complex government protocols and logistical challenges.

To manage the growing volume of inquiries, Puli enlisted the help of a friend who owned a telecom company, Vitel Global, based in New Jersey. Together, they deployed a Call Center App that volunteers could use on their smartphones to provide clear instructions to distressed callers.

Eventually, on his third attempt, Puli said he secured a Qatar Airways flight with the necessary approvals – thanks in part to the support of Ambassador Kumaran, then stationed in Qatar. Despite the challenges, Puli received significant support from officials, friends, and community members to realize the mission.

“Qatar gave me three flights instead of one. So, people were able to travel get flights from Dallas, Chicago and New York,” Puli recalled. Initially, only one flight was planned, departing from New York. He emphasized that his effort marked the only repatriation flight from Dallas to India during the pandemic.

As planned all three flights landed in Doha, but there were some challenges during transit. “I got a call from Doha airlines saying that we are very sorry we cannot send the flight to Hyderabad because they only want residents of Hyderabad to land,” he said. The flight included passengers from across India. 

After three tense hours, he was able to obtain clearance for the plane to land in Hyderabad. From there, additional arrangements were made to help passengers reach their home states, and USISM worked closely with authorities to ensure quarantine protocols were followed.

“We had about more than 30 full-time volunteers who answered over 75,000 phone calls during the 60-day mission,” Puli noted.

President of the American Telugu Association, Jay Challa, recalled the immense pressure and mental strain experienced by students and their families. He said ATA received a flood of inquiries about the Vande Bharat flights and thanked Puli for stepping in with a timely and effective alternative. “There was a huge demand from passengers who requested ATA to help them,” he said, acknowledging the mental health stress many faced during that time.

Jagmohan, Minister (Community Affairs) at the Indian Embassy, described USISM’s efforts as a “phenomenal job” and praised the mission during the event. “I am happy to be celebrating the fifth anniversary of a truly remarkable humanitarian effort which helped so many people to reach their homes when the COVID pandemic had struck,” he said.

Adding a personal dimension to the tribute, Puli’s son Rithik, who was 14 at the time, shared his memories of the intense days at home. “At the time this initiative began, I had just finished ninth grade… I wasn’t really sure if he [his father] was running a rescue operation or had accidentally become the world’s busiest travel agent,” he quipped.

Leveraging his budding experience in entrepreneurship, Rithik played an active role in researching how to charter flights and negotiate with airline agents. “Thanks to the startup experience, I was extremely confident taking on the negotiating piece, talking to different charter airlines and charter agents and getting the best price…”

Several others shared their own experiences in recorded video messages played during the ceremony. One student, stranded in the U.S. since March 2020, recalled the uncertainty she faced until she heard about Puli’s initiative. “Huge support came from Ravi Puli,” she said, adding that she was able to return home safely through his efforts.

Another student said he was guided throughout the process by USISM and described the flight from New York to Hyderabad as a “very pleasant and safe experience,” citing careful seating arrangements to minimize the risk of virus transmission.

A father from Kerala, who was desperate to return home to care for his three children and aging parents, expressed deep gratitude to Puli and his team for making that possible.

For his efforts, Puli was honored with the NRI of the Year award in 2022 by the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. 

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