Two students from Kodagu are among 440-plus Indian students stranded in Sumy in war-hit eastern Ukraine, which is close to the Russian border.
Even as many Karnataka students were managing to run off from the cities under siege and reaching borders in western Ukraine for airlift, some students are finding it tough to move out, delaying their evacuation and increasing the anxiety levels of their parents.
The parents of Arjun Vasanth from Shanivarasanthe and Shreya Pradeep from Virajpet are extremely worried over their safety as their return is not happening though it’s been over a week since the Russian militia invaded Ukraine. Shortage of food and water has made the students’ life even more difficult. Going out to bring essentials is also dangerous amidst the shelling.
Arjun’s elder brother Raghavendra, who works in Mysuru, said his brother is now incommunicado with power outage in Sumy since last Thursday night. “He and others are facing serious difficulties and evacuation of these trapped students must be speeded up by engaging in talks with Russia since Sumy is close to the Russian border and they can be evacuated from the nearest airport in Russia,” a worried brother said.
Raghavendra said he spoke former Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who was in New Delhi, and Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, Karnataka Disaster Management Authority, on the students’ plight in Sumy and sought their help for their airlift as going to western Ukraine amidst intense shelling and missile attacks was impossible for them. “How is it possible to travel 1,500 km with no proper transportation mode from Sumy to the Polish or Romanian borders,” he asked.
Shreya Pradeep is another student from Kodagu stranded in Sumy. His father Pradeep, who runs a shop at Betolli village in Virajpet, is making frantic calls to authorities for updates as he is disturbed over delay in evacuation.
“Good that our students are being evacuated but students stuck in other conflict zones also need to get help and support. These students have no food and water. They are in serious difficulty. Please help them get back home soon,” he pleaded.
Pradeep took an education loan to send Shreya, a first-year student in Sumy State University, to Ukraine.
“My daughter went to Ukraine as one of her seniors suggested that medical education is good there. She is today trapped in a war situation,” said Pradeep, who was told by Shreya that 438 Indian students are stranded in Sumy and all are together in a bunker.
T“The Indian government must talk to Russian authorities as Sumy is close to Russia. The students could be moved to the Russian border for eventual airlift,” he suggested.
