‘I don’t have the money’: Telangana mother seeks CM’s help to bring back Agniveer aspirant from Abu Dhabi
A Telangana woman has sought Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's intervention to bring her son back from Abu Dhabi after his employer allegedly refused to release him without a Rs 1.08 lakh visa cancellation payment, threatening his Agniveer recruitment.
A Telangana woman has appealed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to help bring her son back from Abu Dhabi after his employer allegedly demanded Rs 1.08 lakh for visa cancellation, putting his Agniveer recruitment at risk.
A Telangana woman has appealed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to help bring back her son from Abu Dhabi after his employer allegedly refused to release the Agniveer aspirant without a visa cancellation payment, jeopardising his chance to appear for the Army recruitment process.
According to Mandha Bheem Reddy, the vice-chairman of the Telangana Government NRI Advisory Committee, Sumalatha said her son, Koparthi Abhilash, had been shortlisted for the Physical Screening Test of the Agniveer Army recruitment programme, but his employer was refusing to release him unless a visa cancellation fee was paid. She said she could not afford it.
Abhilash, a native of Patha Gudur village in Jagtial district, travelled to Abu Dhabi from Mumbai on July 8, 2026, on a tourist visa through a licenced Gulf recruiting agency based in Jagtial.
He was issued an employment visa on July 13. On July 14, he received an email informing him that he had been shortlisted for the Physical Screening Test.
In her application through the CM Pravasi Prajavani help desk, Sumalatha said Abhilash’s dream was to serve in the Indian Army, but his employer and recruiting agent were demanding Rs 1.08 lakh (AED 4,100) as a visa cancellation penalty.
The penalty is included in the contract signed by the candidates.
“Abhilash kept trying to join the army and just when he has got the opportunity he is stuck in an unfortunate situation. I do not have enough money to pay the visa cancellation fee and the agent’s fee. I want to bring my son home so he can fulfil his dream of joining the army,” she said.
Story continues below this ad
Sumalatha said her son could not return to India in time for the recruitment process because the family could not afford the amount. She sought the government’s immediate intervention.
She also met CM Prajavani State Nodal Officer K Vidyasagar, who wrote to the Special Chief Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), seeking immediate intervention to facilitate Abhilash’s return to India, stating that he belonged to a financially disadvantaged family.
Officials said some youths working in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia who had also received Agniveer notifications were trying to return to India to appear for the tests.
The Agniveer written examination was held from June 1 to 15 this year, while the physical tests are scheduled between July and September.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
