The simple phrase “Welcome home” can mean many things, but for Nisar Keshvani and his family, those two words represented the difference between fear and safety.
In a recent forum letter to The Straits Times, Keshvani shared a moving account of being evacuated from the Middle East by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) during a period of regional conflict. His story serves as a powerful reminder of what it means to be Singaporean when crisis strikes far from home.
Escaping the Sound of Sirens
Living in Doha for work, Keshvani’s family found their lives upended by missile attacks across the Gulf region. He describes the “deeply unsettling” experience of sheltering in a windowless corner of their ground floor whenever sirens blared.
With commercial flights becoming uncertain due to the closure of airspaces, the Singapore Embassy stepped in. They coordinated with Singaporeans in the region, advising them to prepare for an evacuation.
The RSAF: A Silent Shield
The relief was palpable the moment the family reached the evacuation aircraft in Riyadh. Standing at the foot of the plane were RSAF servicemen who greeted every passenger with a calm, “Welcome home.”
Keshvani noted that while the public rarely sees this side of military service, the professionalism of the airmen was extraordinary. They didn’t just fly thousands of kilometres into a conflict zone; they provided a sense of security that began the moment passengers stepped onto the ramp. His wife remarked that even though they still had to fly through uncertain airspace, the pilot’s message—that it was “an honour to take us home”—was the moment she finally felt safe.
As the plane lifted off, the cabin erupted in applause, followed by a spontaneous, emotional rendition of Majulah Singapura.
Stability is Not an Accident
Keshvani’s experience highlights a truth that is often easy to forget: peace is fragile. For many Singaporeans who have grown up in a period of prolonged stability, safety can feel like a permanent fixture of life.
However, as Keshvani points out, this security is not an accident of geography or luck. It is the result of decades of careful stewarding of resources by previous generations. The ability to send a military aircraft halfway across the world to rescue citizens requires more than just money; it requires strong institutions, long-term diplomatic ties, and a national ethos of preparedness.
In the quiet of everyday life, it is easy to take these systems for granted. We often view National Service or high reserves as abstract concepts until a global crisis, be it a pandemic or a regional war, forces us to rely on them. Keshvani’s story serves as a poignant reminder that Singapore’s greatest strength is its commitment to its people, ensuring that no matter where they are in the world, they are never truly alone.
