10 March,2022 08:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Bhuvan Sharma is a trader and is also into car services
Just two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Bhuvan Sharma had bought a sprawling villa near Boryspil international airport. Sharma, a trader who is also into car services, had saved up to renovate the property and buy furniture. Over the past two weeks, he has used his money to help hundreds of Indian students in Sumy flee danger.
Sharma said he is with 150 students in Sumy and is trying to arrange buses for them to be taken to safer areas. Sharma said he helped 50 students move out of Sumy on Wednesday. Janak Shah, an Indian national who is with Sharma, said, "We need help as we are stuck in a bombing zone. We are not allowed to go outside."
"I purchased a villa on February 22 and I shifted there. Two days later, the bombing started when I was asleep. I left the house and moved to my friend's place in Sumy. A lot of students get in touch with me every day and I try to arrange buses for them. So far, I have sent 2,000-plus students to airports at my own cost. It's a difficult time and I won't leave the students alone. We are living in a house in Sumy where we have access to food."
Recalling his short stay at his new villa, which is just 5 km from the Boryspil international airport, Sharma said, "I had saved up money from my trading and car service businesses. I've spent all the money to rescue the students. I don't know when we will return to India. Only people in green zones were allowed to go out of Sumy." Sharma hoped to take about 50 students to a safe airport on Thursday.