Awaiting their only son’s return from Ukraine

Kottayam: The violence in the Ukrainian city of Luhansk has hit hard some 400 Malayali students pursuing medical education there. Their parents back home are a worried lot and they are anxiously waiting for their return from the war-torn country.

According to the parents of Arun Mohan, third-year MBBS student of Luhansk University, the students had been granted two months’ leave and were asked to return to Luhansk by the second week of September by which time the political situation may come back to normalcy in the country, it is hoped.

The Indian embassy had taken steps to bring the students, including Arun Mohan, back to India. Mr D. Mohan, father of Arun Mohan, who is deputy block development officer at the panchayat office in Erattupetta, said he had availed of an educational loan of Rs 10 lakh to send his son to Ukraine. 

“He has to study for another two years to complete the course. The total cost of studying there is over Rs 25 lakh. The students were recruited after an interview in New Delhi. They are also facing difficulties in accessing the ATM to buy tickets to return home,”  Mr Mohan said.

Arun’s mother is a nurse at general hospital, Pala. Arun and his friends are likely to reach Kerala by June 8, it is learnt.

Some 500 Indian students were transported to the capital Kiev from Luhansk, according to reports from Ukraine.

The parents and the students are concerned about the future and they have asked the government to work out a formula to help them resume their studies in Luhansk.