Akshita Akkamma, a medical student from Kudlur village near Kushalnagar in Kodagu, is safe and about to cross the Ukrainian border to get evacuated from the war-hit country. However, her parents back home in Kodagu are still nervous until she reaches her home.
Her father I.P. Ramesh, an agriculturist, said, “I don’t want to send my daughter back to Ukraine after her return. We had a tough time worried about her safety after the war broke out. Hearing about shelling and explosions in Kharkiv, we had sleepless nights. We were slightly relieved after she rang up to tell us she had reached Livv and boarded a bus to reach the border to fly back to India.”
Akshita is a second-year student at Kharkiv National Medical University. “I don’t want my daughter to go back as her safety is important for us. Therefore, I urge the Government of India to make arrangements for her study in the country in whichever college it is possible as my daughter has put in two years of her study in Ukraine,” Mr. Ramesh suggested.
The coffee grower added, “In an exceptional case, a provision can be made for students wishing to stay in India, to continue medical education. I don’t think this is unachievable.”
Mr. Ramesh said “Fellow student Naveen’s tragic death shocked us and our apprehensions went up further since my daughter was also in Kharkiv which was witnessing heavy bombardment. Ukrainians are said to be getting first priority and then the girl students for boarding trains,” said the girl’s father.
