Kodagu students trapped in Ukraine make herculean efforts to reach Poland, Hungary border

A total of 14 students from Kodagu are pursuing MBBS in various universities of Ukraine. Four of them -- Madheeha MG, Alisha Saiyad Ali, Nirmala and Siniya VJ -- have already reached India.
Indian students stranded in Ukraine. (Photo | PTI)
Indian students stranded in Ukraine. (Photo | PTI)

MADIKERI: Students from Kodagu trapped in Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine have found their way to the Poland and Hungary border after making arrangements on their own to reach safety. They are likely to return to India shortly. One of the students said that they could not reach the Indian Embassy and had to take a decision on their own to ensure their safety.

A total of 14 students from Kodagu are pursuing MBBS in various universities of Ukraine. Four of them -- Madheeha MG, Alisha Saiyad Ali, Nirmala and Siniya VJ -- have already reached India.

“Likith and 15 other Indian students decided to take action on their own and they boarded a public train at Kharkiv Railway Station. On Wednesday morning, they reached Lviv. Following help from a few locals, they managed to hire a bus to the Poland border and will reach Poland soon,” said Karthik, brother of Likith Koragappa who is pursuing MBBS at Kharkiv University.

Manjunath KK, father of another student Chandan Gowda of Kharkiv University, said his son is also among the 16 students reaching Poland shortly. “The students were all in a bunker. However, they decided to take a train. It is only after reaching the airport of neighbouring countries that they are extended support from the Indian Embassy,” he expressed. Meanwhile, Karthik also said that the 16 students travelling by train were not able to connect with the Indian Embassy as many calls went unanswered and sometimes the number was busy. The students survived eating snacks and drinking juice as there was a shortage of food and water.

Another student, Akshitha Akamma of Kharkiv University, left Kharkiv around noon on Wednesday in a train and is likely to reach Lviv soon en route to Poland. Nirmala MP, a student pursuing MBBS in a university in Kyiv, has reached Budapest and is likely to reach Bengaluru soon. Her mother Rajani said Nirmala along with a few other students boarded a train from Kyiv to Lviv and then reached the Hungary border from where they were evacuated by the Indian Embassy.

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