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My Child Is Brave, Walking Miles For Safety, But What To Do: Father Of Indian Student Stranded In Ukraine

Parents of students from Himachal Pradesh stuck in Ukraine await positive news, as those who managed to return talk of unspeakable horrors.

The deadly war ravages in Ukraine war as human sufferings compound.(File photo-Representational image)
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바카라Our son Rahul, with many of his friends, has finally managed to move out of Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. He is now in neighbouring Moldova. We are yet to find out his next destination, from where the Indian embassy will evacuate this group of 298 students.바카라 

바카라Today, we feel much relieved as I recount the last 10 days, filled with stress helplessness and horror. I don바카라t think any of us바카라myself, my wife, daughter (all doctors), and nephew have slept through these nights,바카라 says a desperate father of third-year MBBS student Rahul from Shimla. 

Looking visibly shaken by the developments in Ukraine, Dr Ramesh Chand, a senior official in the state바카라s health department, claims his son too sounded shattered by the destruction he had seen there. 

바카라He is a brave child who used to post photographs of the city, the spaces of his college and show us key places via regular video calls. But now he is shattered, helpless and running from one place to another바카라walking miles braving a rain of bullets and bombs,바카라 Dr Chand says. 

With his phone ringing every minute, Dr Chand has spent hours on the internet and Google search to guide his son about the safest route to take to reach the nearest border. 바카라One day, he [Rahul] courageously ran for hours in extreme cold, got a taxi half way down and finally walked, to reach a group of Indian students  who had taken shelter in a small place,바카라 Dr Chand explains. 

바카라The government is in touch with all the children. For the last 10 days, fierce fighting has been going on day and night. There is no pause for a single moment. The earth is trembling in fear and confusion every moment,바카라 his wife says. 

The daughter of Dharam Singh Pathania of Chamba, who was also at Kharkiv, reached home two days ago. He too recounts those moments when she바카라as part of a group of 9-10 students, including those from Punjab, UP and Haryana바카라took shelter with an Indian family that originally hails from UP.  

바카라I really believe this family has done a yeoman바카라s job hosting us for nearly a week, feeding these kids well and remaining in touch with every family, assuring their safe return. They told us they won바카라t allow any harm to be inflicted on our kids or abandon them till they find a safe passage for them,바카라 says Pathania, a former zilla parishad chief to Outlook over phone. 

Before arranging local transport for the children up to borders, they packed stuffed ghee paranthas, some snacks, eatables and water bottles, even money for the journey. The kids finally reached Hungary, from where they were evacuated under Operation Ganga.  

Meanwhile in Shimla, CM Jai Ram Thakur said of a total 458 students from Himachal Pradesh, 309 have already been evacuated, that there are only 149 students still stranded in Ukraine or countries like Romania, Hungary or Poland. 

바카라We are in constant touch with the Union ministry of external affairs, parents of the students and even some students. The situation in Ukraine is terrible. Some of the students are unable to move-out from their shelters. Those who have reached Delhi or Mumbai were being brought back to their homes safely,바카라 he told the state assembly. 

Senior Congress MLA Asha Kumari harmonised with the CM to share her concern for the safety of the students. She asked for a safe corridor as Russia had promised for students, and urged the CM to take the issue up with the MEA as parents were under a lot of stress and anguish. 

She named a few cities including Kyiv, where students are living in pathetic conditions, unable to sleep, eat or even get safe water to drink, apparently melting snow to quench thirst. 

Neha of Mandi reached home two days ago from Ukraine. She says she spent two days and nights without blankets in -5°C while waiting for a flight at the Romanian border. She also affirmed that Indian and Nigerian students were abused at the border. 
 

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