Telugu students put up a brave front

Hyderabad: Youngsters here need to learn a lot from the way the Telugu students in the war-torn Ukraine had been conducting themselves. The concern for each other's safety, the bonding of friendship even when uncertainty was looming large on them in the face of explosions that were taking place outside the bunkers and metro stations is something that is admirable.

K Pavani from Telangana, along with several of her fellow students who have been in and out of bunkers for the past three days and is awaiting evacuation, explains the unfolding scenario: "We are actually arranging our needs here, you need not worry.

They may again shift us to bunkers or try to send us across the borders of Ukraine. We are safe. Do not worry."

She told The Hans India over whatsapp, "When there is danger, they are alerting us with sirens ...and we are going into bunkers!" When asked about the response from the Indian Embassy to facilitate their safe passage, she said Indian officials are keeping in touch with them.

"But it may take time. Bcoz we don't know whether the roadways are safe are not! So, the embassy is trying to know about that! At present we are safe, the university is taking care of us," she said.

Speaking to several students like her reveals how the girls and boys hailing from the two Telugu states still stranded in different war-hit places in Ukraine remain brave and strong in an adverse situation that they are facing in a foreign land. It is interesting to note that they are not only reposing faith that the Indian Embassy is there for them but are also giving credit to their universities for owning them and making efforts to take care of their safety despite the country and her people undergoing a tough time.

The grit of Pratiksha Sharma, another medical student stranded in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, and daughter of Narender Sharma of Malkajgiri also needs to be admired. Interacting with former MLC N Ramachander Rao, she said there were about 500 students stranded. Their evacuation as of now remains uncertain since they are in the country's capital. The difficulty is that they had to run into bunkers and stay there for hours in minus degrees cold. Apart from groceries, we are also running out of money, but otherwise we are safe, she added