The Russia-Ukraine war on Ukrainian turf is going on and thousands of Indian students are still stranded there. The Indian government is leaving no stone unturned to safely evacuate those students, but still the situation is serious.
Four girl MBBS students from Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra were also stranded in different cities of Ukraine. But District Collector, 2011-batch IAS officer Sanjay Meena rose to the occasion and took matters in hand. He kept in regular touch with the girls, providing emotional support and psychological assistance by consoling and motivating them to stay strong. He also created a special WhatsApp group for better coordination and communication with them until their safe evacuation. Not just this, Mr. Meena and his team also reached out to the girls’ parents. They traced the families of the students and contacted them for better coordination, assuring them of all possible help.
Indian Masterminds spoke to Mr. Sanjay Meena to know more about his appreciable gesture of reaching out to the girl students in war torn Ukraine and their parents back home in India, to be with them and support them in whatever way possible in their hour of need.
TRACING THE GIRLS
DC Gadchiroli Sanjay Meena informed Indian Masterminds that when he got the information that two girls from the district are stranded in Ukraine from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMS), he immediately asked them to report to the police and take all other necessary steps. At that time, they had information of only two girls. But the next day, information came about another girl holed up in Ukraine.
“At that time, the war had started. Looking at the grave situation, I personally called up the parents to find out the girls’ location and their contact numbers. And I contacted the girls directly. It was then that I came to know that there was a fourth girl from our district, too, with them. So, I talked with this girl and asked her parents’ numbers. I contacted her parents and suggested that they should first inform the police. Then I made a WhatsApp group to bridge the communication gap, as the girls needed continuous communication to boost their spirits. It makes them feel good that people from their area are also communicating and coordinating with them, apart from their parents. Meanwhile, we intimated our state government about these four girls.”
CONTINUOUSLY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM
Mr. Meena also said that from thereon, they started communicating with them continuously and tracked whatever was going on there. Two of them, Smriti and Devyani, were in Vinnytsia, one of the west-central Ukrainian cities. Vinnytsia could be affected, but till now, it is safe. These two girls’ plan was to leave for Romania and then take a flight from there to India. They finally reached Romanian border and had to stay there for 3-4 days before being allowed to proceed further.
“I was in regular touch with Devyani and Smriti. First, Smriti reached India and then came to Gadchiroli. I also coordinated with the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi and shared the number of the girls with them so that they face no problem when they reach India. The other two girls, Tanushree and Rani, were in Uzhhorod, one of the western Ukrainian cities on the river Uzh. They were near the Hungary border but was not able to reach it. I was talking to them continuously and bolstering their spirits by saying that as soon as they reach the Hungary border, then can take Operation Ganga flight of Indian government. But the problem was that they were not able to move from there due to non-availability of local transportation.”
ALL FOUR SAFELY OUT OF UKRAINE
Good news finally came in yesterday of the two girls having reached the Hungary border. And now, they are safe in Budapest and will be in India anytime soon.
“It is a big relief for us that they all got out of danger area. It’s great feeling! I am glad that we could be of some help to the girl students and their parents, by communicating and coordinating with them all throughout to keep their morale up.”
