In a conversation with Radio City RJ Salil Acharya, president of Indian students’ union at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University Divyanshu Gahlot, talks about surviving in sub-zero conditions at the border, why medical students choose to study abroad, and how the Indian Government didn’t give ‘proper advisory’ for evacuation
Indian nationals, evacuated from crisis-hit Ukraine, being welcomed by relatives upon their arrival at the airport in Mumbai on Tuesday. Pic/ PTI
The ripples of Russia invading Ukraine is being felt in India also. After the death of a 21-year-old student from Karnataka in shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, the safety of Indian students is at stake and the Indian Government’s efforts to bring them back is under scrutiny. The Centre claims that over 17,000 students were evacuated and it was swift in its operations. However, students stuck in Ukraine paint a different picture.
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In a conversation with Radio City RJ Salil Acharya, the president of Indian students’ union at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Divyanshu Gahlot, who returned to India from Ukraine on March 1, talks about surviving in sub-zero conditions at the border, why medical students choose to study abroad, and how the Indian Government didn’t give ‘proper advisory’.
1. How is your family feeling now that you have safely returned?
Everyone in my family is relieved. The situation was worse than anyone thought it would be.
2. There have been talks about students not leaving Ukraine on time. Whereas students are claiming that there wasn’t enough official support. During the time of state elections, a lot of contradictory statements are coming up. What is your take on it?
We received the first advisory from the Indian authorities around February 16, which stated that we can leave Ukraine if we wish to. This came at a time when the US had already evacuated almost 50 per cent of its people stuck in Ukraine. It was tough for us to get out. I was left with just 46 days of mandatory duty to get my MBBS degree; leaving even half of it, would have made me ineligible for the degree.
We were constantly getting notices from our universities to submit a written permission from the Indian embassy, stating that they are evacuating Indian students, but by the time they sent the documents, it was too late.
Air India is offering free tickets for students now. The same airline was charging us over Rs 1 lakh for a flight ticket at that time, which is equal to paying for a semester. Who is going to go for that?
Some political leaders are saying those who ‘fail’ in qualifying examinations in India go abroad to study. Let me make it clear that those who fail in NEET examinations in India can’t get admission in foreign universities. For instance, I prepared in Kota for five years, but it was tough to get admission in a medical college in India. I wanted to be a doctor and hence chose to study abroad. I feel these remarks by politicians are unreasonable.
3. What was the situation on the ground? There have been reports of students being beaten up at the border. How were Ukrainian people towards Indians?
Ukrainian people are suffering an unfortunate war. Despite this, they were very helpful and concerned about Indians. We received tremendous amount of support from them. Why else would they run a special train from Kyiv for our evacuation?
4. How do you see your future now?
I am in a fix. I don't know what is going to happen. I don’t expect much help from the Indian Government. If the war subsides, I want to go back to Ukraine. If not, we can also seek transfers to countries such as Kazakhstan and Armenia; the universities there will accept us.
5. Since you have spoken so freely during this interview, do you fear a backlash?
I have been doing this (evacuating people) for the last five to six days. I have helped over 300 students cross the border. The officials at the embassy are working continuously without taking a break, but they are also short-staffed. I didn’t eat for over 48 hours; students have been waiting at the border in sub-zero conditions. I was standing over the border of Romania and urging girls to get evacuated first. There is no proper toilet facility for women there. I think the Indian Government could have acted sooner.
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