'Welcome home': S'porean, 50, recalls passengers singing 'Majulah Singapura' aboard 1st RSAF flight from Riyadh

A Singaporean evacuated from the Middle East aboard a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) aircraft has described how passengers spontaneously broke into "Majulah Singapura" after take-off, shortly after servicemen greeted them aboard the repatriation flight.

“Majulah Singapura”

The account, later penned by Nisar Keshvani and titled “‘Welcome home’: What war taught me about Singapore", has circulated widely online, with many Singaporeans saying they were moved by its reflections on relief, gratitude and what home means in times of crisis.

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The piece has also been shared by the wife of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Ho Ching, and Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, Baey Yam Keng.

For Nisar, 50, the moment began before the aircraft had even left Riyadh.

Nisar, who had been living in Doha with his wife Malathi and their two children for slightly over two years, said RSAF personnel welcomed passengers calmly as they boarded the evacuation flight bound for Singapore.

“Welcome home,” they said as his family stepped into the aircraft.

“It may sound simple, but in that moment it meant a great deal,” he told Mothership.

When the aircraft finally lifted off, applause broke out across the cabin.

Then someone began singing the national anthem, a spontaneous moment that, according to Nisar, was entirely unexpected.

Others soon joined in, their voices slowly rising across the cabin.

“It reminded me that being Singaporean is not just about where we live, but about a shared commitment to look after one another,” said Nisar.

“We were born and grew up in Singapore and nothing beats the feeling of returning home, more so in this circumstance.”

Missiles flying overhead in Doha

Before boarding the RSAF aircraft, Nisar and his family had spent days navigating uncertainty in Qatar as tensions escalated across the Gulf.

He told Mothership that his family’s first instinct had been to remain in Doha, as Qatar’s defence systems were intercepting attacks and essential services continued operating despite daily alerts.

However, missile sirens soon became part of daily life.

In the reflection he later penned and shared publicly, Nisar wrote that the safest place in their home became a small reinforced corner on the ground floor without windows, where the family gathered whenever sirens sounded.

His children, aged 12 and 10, struggled to understand why missiles were flying overhead.

“At night, when interceptions shook the house, they clung tightly to us,” he wrote.

Real sense of care by RSAF crew

The turning point came when the Singapore Embassy contacted citizens directly and advised Singaporeans in the area to prepare to leave.

With airspace closures making commercial routes uncertain, the family decided it would be prudent to leave while a coordinated option remained available.

He and his family were among 218 Singaporeans and dependants who arrived in Singapore aboard the first RSAF evacuation flight from Riyadh on Mar. 11.

What stood out the most to Nisar on board was how the RSAF crew interacted with the passengers.

“They moved through the cabin checking on families, serving meals, speaking to passengers individually and making sure people were comfortable,” he said.

“It was not just operational efficiency — there was a real sense of care.”

He added that seeing military personnel in that environment gave him a deeper appreciation of their role.

In Nisar's written reflection, his wife, Malathi Keshvan, also recalled the servicemen's greeting as one of the most emotional moments of the journey.

“When they said ‘Welcome home’, you already felt like you were home,” she said.

Reflection written during eight-hour flight home

Nisar told Mothership he began writing his reflection during the eight-hour journey back to Singapore.

“It started simply as a note of gratitude to the Singapore government and embassy staff,” he said.

Many Singaporeans reached out after the story resonated widely online, telling him that it reminded them not to take Singapore’s stability for granted, while others said it helped them see the work of Singapore’s diplomatic and defence teams from a different perspective.

“For me, the most meaningful responses were from people who said it made them reflect on the values behind the Singapore system — preparedness, responsibility and care for fellow citizens,” he added.

“If the story helped bring those quiet efforts into view, then I’m glad I wrote it.”

Top photos courtesy of Nisar Keshvani, MINDEF