Despite the hair-raising experience of the past few days, several Ukraine returnees say they are willing to continue their studies in the country once war ends.
Utkrist Aggarwal, 22, a third-year medical student who reached home on Saturday, said, “Before the Russian invasion, we had a smooth life in Ukraine. The faculty members and locals were always welcoming. So, there is no doubt that if the situation improves, we are willing to resume our studies there.”
Speaking of the hardships he faced over the last few days, Aggarwal said had to cover a distance of almost 100km on foot, in biting cold conditions, to reach to safety. “We initially tried to cross over through the Poland border, but after a long wait, we took a detour and reached the Romania border,” said the 22-year-old who was finally able to catch an evacuation flight from Romania.
Somya, 20, a first-year medical student from Kyiv, said, “I had to brave several odds to reach home, but I will surely return to Ukraine once the war ends.”
Her father, Nitin Kumar, agreed with her decision, stating, “The country offers good education and exposure.”
Of the 21 Ferozepur students stuck in Ukraine, five have returned safely while 16 are yet to arrive.
9 days on, still stuck in Kharkiv
{{/usCountry}}9 days on, still stuck in Kharkiv
{{/usCountry}}A Ferozepur resident whose 22-year-old daughter continues to be stuck in Ukraine appealed to Indian authorities to explore other diplomatic channels to bring stranded students home. “My daughter, Sakshi, has been stuck in Kharkiv for the last nine days. The Indian authorities are asking students to reach to the Poland or Romania students on their own which is extremely risky,” said Simran.
“Yesterday my daughter and a few others were on a train, which was to take them to the border areas, but it came under heavy shelling by Russian forces. The entire railway station was destroyed and the group was forced to take shelter in a bunker,” she said.