Say explosion a one-off incident and that they would rather be here than in Pakistan, where blasts are a regular feature.

INTN'L students give city the thumbs-up

Say explosion a one-off incident and that they would rather be here than in Pakistan, where blasts are a regular feature. Chandran Iyer reports

He was selected for the Pakistan International Islamic University in Islamabad, but rejected it at the last moment because he got admission in a Pune college to study law. He says when he compares life in Pakistan, Malaysia, and some other countries Sudanese students go to, with life in India, he feels India is truly the best. "East or west, India is best," he said.

Free climate
Jadwalla is not alone in expressing such a view. His friend and Ahmed's classmate Boma Malual, a former president of the Sudanese Association, echoes the sentiment. Boma was to join a college in Malaysia, but ultimately chose not to, because he felt there was little freedom in that country, and he was afraid he would feel claustrophobic in the university culture there.

Waiting outside the Sassoon Hospital morgue to receive Ahmed's body, a number of Sudanese students said their friend's death in the blast had disturbed them, but they still felt the city was the best place to be in compared to university towns in other countries.

Before his death, Amgad-elgozuli Ahmed led an active college life and was a keen sportsman.

Nearly 400 nationals from the Northeast African country of Sudan study in the city.

Jadwalla, a first-year LLM student of Symbiosis Law College, said what happened in Pune was a one-off incident, while in Pakistan bomb blasts were a regular feature. "Law and order problems are common in Pakistan," said Jadwalla. "Most Sudanese students prefer India, especially Pune, which they consider to be the Oxford of the East."

Boma said, "I had the choice of studying in either Malaysia or India, and I preferred India because of the safety factor. There might be sporadic problems of terrorism in India, but it is the best place. Terrorism is worse in Pakistan, and in Malaysia I can land in serious trouble even if I wear my cross."

Quality of education
Gul Ahmed, another Sudanese student, said a law degree from Indian universities was in great demand in Sudan. Ahmed said, "The standard of education is low in Sudan, which is why a large number of Sudanese come to Pune."

S B Majumdar, founder president and director of Symbiosis Society, which runs a number of educational institutions, including Symbiosis International University, said, "There was no panic among foreign students, though they definitely are shocked."

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