Parents and other family members who gathered at Cochin International Airport breathed a sigh of relief as the first two flights that brought in a total of 19 medical students from war-torn Ukraine, landed at Cochin International Airport on Sunday afternoon.
For, these were among the lucky lot from among the 15,000-odd Indian students who were stranded in Ukraine, who could cross over from western Ukraine to nearby countries like Romania, with the help of Indian Embassy officials and others. They were even more fortunate, since encounters with invading Russian troops were confined largely to eastern parts of Ukraine.
Most of the students who arrived in the flights were from Bukovinian State Medical University (BSMU), Chernivtsi. They expressed relief at the Central Government arranging and bearing the expenses for their flight to Mumbai, while the State Government made similar arrangements to fly them down to Kerala.
“Unlike Ukranians – including children and many others, who were waiting in large numbers to cross the border, we did not face too many hassles, since the Embassy staff and the Government had made transportation and other arrangements. The university too helped,” said Aswathy Sivaprasad from Palakkad, who is pursuing fourth year medicine at the university. Her parents Sivaprasad and Kanakalatha said she was lucky to have crossed over to Romania before the war intensified.
Another student Aaditya Sunil from Kottayam narrated how people in the Romanian border town provided them food, as they waited for their bus amidst minus-five degree celsius weather. Then there was Deleena Sebastian from Kochi, pursuing second year medicine, who was received by family members, including brother Denish. “My parents were deeply worried, especially so since there were times Deleena went off the mobile range during transit,” he said.
Among the other parents who were eagerly waiting for their children was Fr. Thomas Kurian Anchery, director of Mar Thoma Counselling Centre, Thiruvalla. “We are happy that my daughter Greeshma Rachel Thomas was among those who could board the first flight arranged by the embassy, back to India. A bulk of the students are still stranded in Ukraine,” he said.
In Mumbai, the students were put up at Kerala House.
Minister for Industries P. Rajeeve, Benny Behanan, MP, and Roji John, MLA were among those who received the students who arrived in the first flight at Kochi. More students will come later in the evening and in the coming days. Control rooms have been readied, including by NoRKA, to coordinate their return, Mr Rajeeve said.
But many students who are stranded in Ukraine said through videos and audio messages, that only a few hundred students – mostly girls, were permitted to cross the border. They said there was little help from Indian Embassy officials to help the others, even as officials of embassies of African and other countries coordinated the return of their students back home. Among them, many were stranded in bunkers sans adequate food.
Published - March 01, 2022 08:19 am IST
