Ukraine Crisis A Worry For Odisha Students, Parents

Kendrapada: Fifty-three-year-old Girish Das of Iswarapur village in Odisha’s Kendrapada district is extremely perturbed. The man and his entire family are glued to television channels to get the latest about the simmering tension in Ukraine.

Das’ 23-year-old son, Sanjay, is studying MBBS at the Kyiv Medical University in Ukraine. It may be recalled that the Indian government has advised all Indians there to leave the country following threats of the Russian invasion.

“We spent our hard-earned money to get our son admitted in a medical university in Ukraine. But now it seems the volatile situation may delay his study. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv should ensure safe evacuation of all students,” a distressed Girish was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.

Besides Sanjay, one more student Basit Ali (24) from Jayapura locality is also pursuing MBBS at the same university and in his third year. He is currently at home after returning from Ukraine two months back.

Ali had booked his return ticket on February 24, but the situation there has compelled him to stay back. “I spent a lot of money to send my son for his medical studies. I hope the crisis ends and he resumes college soon,” Basit’s father Sk Safat Ali was quoted as saying by TNIE.

“Ticket from New Delhi to Kyiv was earlier Rs 25,000 but now some airlines are charging as high as Rs 75,000. The Indian Embassy must facilitate our return,” one of the students from Odisha was quoted on the condition of anonymity.

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