“Students, this is perhaps one of the happiest moments of in my life. Because I finally see all of you safe and sound.”
These emotional words from Indian Envoy to Ukraine Partha Satpathy while addressing Indian students well encapsulated the trials and tribulations of evacuation from Sumy.
Indian authorities on Tuesday were able to evacuate over 500 Indian students from the besieged city of Sumy in Ukraine which was the most challenging of all evacuations under Operation Ganga. Under operation Ganga, India has been able to bring back over 18000 of its citizens from the war-torn country in special flights.
Speaking to Indian students at Lviv railway station, the Indian envoy said, “what I wanted to share with you, it has been difficult for all of you, 7-8 days in the bunker, but it has been equally difficult for all of us, who have been trying to get you out.”
The Indian students will now travel to Poland from where they will be brought back to India. Sharing a personal anecdote, envoy Satpathy said, “The only message I have, when I would feel really difficult, how to get my boys out, my daughter will call me and say, Papa, think that I am there with them. This believe me is the attitude all of us have worked in the embassy, we all believed our children are out there”
The Indian students in Sumy have been in dire conditions for days as the shelling of the city continued. Earlier this week, the Russians and the Ukrainians agreed on a humanitarian corridor that led to evacuation of Indian students. The Indian envoy had earlier met Governor of Lviv Maksym Kozytskyi and the Mayor of Lviv City Andriy Sadovyi.
During his address at the railway station, envoy lauded the role played by Ukrainian authorities and said, “I have just one request for all of you, this has been a very difficult time for people of Ukraine too. They have helped you, railways has helped you, the border point will help you. Please be patient, and appreciate what they have done”.
India was in touch with both Kyiv and Moscow for safe evacuation of Indian nationals. The envoy also had a message for parents, in which he said, “We promised to bring every Indian back, this was the PM’s direct objective. Get every Indian back. This is what we have done, and I am so happy you will be all with your parents.”