VIJAYAWADA: Students from war-torn Ukraine started returning to Andhra Pradesh on Sunday afternoon. Two students, who landed at Vijayawada International Airport, received a grand welcome from their parents and government officials.
Sai Praneeth, a native of Lakshmi Puram in Guntur, is a final year MBBS student at Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi city. Speaking to TOI, Sai Praneeth said, “I was about to complete my medical course in a couple of months. But the war has affected my studies. We were holed up in a hostel building and spent sleepless nights until authorities contacted us. We were scared till we crossed the Romania border. Officials of the Indian embassy were very helpful.”
Kasani Kavyasri, a native of Nidadavolu of West Godavari district thanked the state government for guiding her and motivating her parents over the past few days. “We were in the west part of Ukraine where the impact of the war is slightly less. We hid in a bunker until we received a message from the Indian embassy. We walked for six kilometers to cross the border at Romania and finally caught a flight to India. I’m in the third year of my MBBS degree and hope to return to complete my studies in Ukraine,” Kavyasri said.
Speaking to TOI, Vennela Varsha Potnuru, a second-year MBBS student at the Bukovinian State Medical University, who reached her native place in Srikakulam district on Sunday evening, said they spent several tense days in Ukraine. “After waiting for three hours at the Romania border, the officials arranged a bus that took eight hours to reach Bucharest. The Indian embassy helped a lot in this whole episode. Even the Romanians received the Indian students and provided all food and amenities before the flight took off. Our university has declared holidays till March 11 and the future course of action may depend on the evolving situation in Ukraine,” said Vennela.
Challa Sudarsana, a final year MBBS student who reached Gollaprolu in East Godavari from Ukraine on Sunday, said the happiness of her family knew no bounds when she arrived home. “It was a bit of a scary experience in Ukraine. It all went well in the end. We arrived in Mumbai on Saturday, then reached Chennai and from there to Rajahmundry on Sunday afternoon,” said Sudarsana.
Another MBBS student in Ukraine, Rajanala Sushma from Gollaprolu town in East Godavari, arrived in Rajahmundry on Sunday.
