Three teenage medical students are back home in Bahrain with the families after escaping war-torn Ukraine and believe they were lucky to have survived the ordeal.
The 19-year-olds admitted they were on the verge of ‘giving up’ during their desperate attempts to find shelter and flee the violence.
Tired, traumatised and terrified, they narrowly escaped exploding bombs, walked for hours without food or water and hobbled towards safety in pitch-black tunnels stumbling across rails.
Indian expatriates Ramya Ravikumar, Hima Stephen and Aleena James, first-year medical students at Kharkiv National Medical University, were trapped in makeshift bunkers for six days in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
They spoke to the GDN twice during that time, once optimistically and then dejectedly, as desperation and danger magnified as Russian missiles rained down indiscriminately around them.
The Indian Embassy had urged them to leave the city as soon as possible and head towards the safety of bordering countries.
“On the sixth day in a bunker, a big bang shattered the ceilings and the basement door – we were in the lowest level. At the same time we received messages from friends sheltering in nearby bunkers that a bomb landed in front of their facility, blowing away the door,” Ramya, 19, told the GDN yesterday from the comfort of her Mahooz home.
“After this incident, it became apparent that it wasn’t safe in Kharkiv any longer, and around 200 of us decided to walk towards the metro. The journey was supposed to take us an hour, but in reality it took us six hours.
“The memory makes me shudder. I remember running into the metro underground and there was an earth-shattering blast behind me. I’m not sure if that would have hit us if we were a few seconds later.”
Ramya reflected on the anxiety of waiting at the metro station with no-one to offer assistance or guidance. “It was dangerous because Khariv was being heavily-bombed, and moving in large groups was risky, so girls were allowed to leave first,” she explained.
“We were at the station when we received the Indian Embassy’s warning to leave the city immediately because it was so unsafe – we didn’t know what to do.
“We started walking along the track to another station, and twice my foot twisted and got caught between the rails – I didn’t realise how badly I was injured until I woke up on a train later. It was another six-hour journey, and when I woke up, my foot was badly bruised, swollen and I had a fever.”
Ramya’s greatest accomplishment was finally boarding that train from Kharkiv. “The relief was immense. It was almost impossible with the rush and hostility from the locals who were just as desperate to get on board. It is something I will never forget.
“I almost burst into tears when I boarded that train because I couldn’t believe it was real – I had a shiver down my spine – I had almost given up hope.”
The train they managed to board at a station further down the line was heading to Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, around 70km from the border with Poland. The girls then took a bus to Budapest, where they were met by an Indian Embassy representative.
“We had no food or water, I felt my body was just about giving out,” added Ramya. “I was emotional and at one point I thought I was going to die.
“Dusty floors, icy weather, filthy toilets, a lack of food and water – I almost gave up. It was then that I realised how fortunate we all are in Bahrain, especially when it comes to eating, drinking and feeling safe.”
Ramya was met in Delhi by her father, Ravi Kumar, and the two flew back to Bahrain on Sunday. Ramya’s friends had to stay in Budapest because Ramya was accommodated on the first flight to India due to a medical emergency.
“Homecoming has never been so beautiful,” Hima said, describing the previous 12 days as a ‘surreal experience’.
“This is definitely a part of my life that I will never forget – it is a phase that taught me life lessons – bolder, spontaneity, time management – it was a growing experience and, in some ways, I don’t regret it.
“We were together, formed some lovely friendships and were truly humane. It wasn’t a pleasant experience in and of itself, but it will live on in my heart forever.”
Aleena expressed her happiness at reaching the safety of her home, and she was overwhelmed with emotion on meeting her loved ones at Bahrain International Airport.
Aleena and Hima at Bahrain International Airport with friends and family
“To be honest this crisis situation taught me much – like taking risks together in unity, helping others and standing together even in our darkest days,” she said.
“These experiences made me realise that even with danger at your doorstep, people will reach out – mentally, spiritually and emotionally. A big ‘thank you’ to all who have stood with us during this traumatic phase of our lives.”
raji@gdn.com.bh
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