He hopes govt. will help her continue her medical education in India after return Akshita Akkamma, a medical student from Kudlur village near Kushalnagar in Kodagu, is safe and about to cross the Ukrainian border to get evacuated from the war-hit country. However, her parents back home in Kodagu are still nervous until she reaches her home.
Her father I.P. Ramesh, an agriculturist, said, “I don’t want to send my daughter back to Ukraine after her return. We had a tough time worried about her safety after the war broke out. Hearing about shelling and explosions in Kharkiv, we had sleepless nights. We were slightly relieved after she rang up to tell us she had reached Livv and boarded a bus to reach the border to fly back to India.”
Akshita is a second-year student at Kharkiv National Medical University. “I don’t want my daughter to go back as her safety is important for us. Therefore, I urge the Government of India to make arrangements for her study in the country in whichever college it is possible as my daughter has put in two years of her study in Ukraine,” Mr. Ramesh suggested.
The coffee grower added, “In an exceptional case, a provision can be made for students wishing to stay in India, to continue medical education. I don’t think this is unachievable.”
Mr. Ramesh said “Fellow student Naveen’s tragic death shocked us and our apprehensions went up further since my daughter was also in Kharkiv which was witnessing heavy bombardment. Ukrainians are said to be getting first priority and then the girl students for boarding trains,” said the girl’s father.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – March 03rd, 2022
Amidst the blitzkrieg from the Russian military, three students from Kodagu managed to leave the conflict zones in Ukraine and safely returned to India much to the relief of their family members who were pleading for their safe evacuation ever since Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
Alisha Sayyad Ali, Siniya V.J. and M.P. Nirmala, who managed to reach the borders in available modes of transport from their respective cities, returned on Wednesday in the evacuation flights operated by the Indian government.
The girls’ return was confirmed to The Hindu by the Kodagu district administration, whose officials were in touch with the stranded students since the war broke out. A few of the students from Kodagu and Mysuru are said to have reached Poland and are waiting for their evacuation. All of them are safe.
Siniya, who landed in Bengaluru airport on Wednesday evening, was welcomed by her family members.
Jose, her uncle, said Siniya had to walk about 20 km from her shelter in Kyiv along with other students to the railway station to reach Livv. She was evacuated from Budapest in Hungary to New Delhi.
“Minutes before Siniya was supposed to board a flight to Dubai on February 24 from Kyiv to join her sister for a vacation, Russian forces attacked Ukraine and the flights got cancelled. She had to rush back to her accommodation in available means of transport for her safety. Her 40-kg baggage was stuck in Kyiv airport and she flew to India with only a few pairs of clothes as all her belongings are at the airport,” Mr. Jose said.
Alisha, a student of Ivan Francisco Medical University, has also returned.
M.P. Nirmala, a student of Bogomoleth National Medical University in Kyiv, was stranded at a school after the invasion. Her mother Rajani was praying for her early return, pleading with the authorities for her evacuation. Ms Rajani said, “My daughter landed in Delhi this morning and is on her way to Bengaluru.”
Karthik, brother of Likith, who was stranded in Kharkiv with eight others, said his brother and some of his friends have reached Poland. “It was tough for them to reach the borders but they managed and are now away from the conflict zone Kharkiv which is under siege. They are waiting for their turn to board the next evacuation flights,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – March 02nd, 2022
He hopes govt. will help her continue her medical education in India after return
Akshita Akkamma, a medical student from Kudlur village near Kushalnagar in Kodagu, is safe and about to cross the Ukrainian border to get evacuated from the war-hit country. However, her parents back home in Kodagu are still nervous until she reaches her home.
Her father I.P. Ramesh, an agriculturist, said, “I don’t want to send my daughter back to Ukraine after her return. We had a tough time worried about her safety after the war broke out. Hearing about shelling and explosions in Kharkiv, we had sleepless nights. We were slightly relieved after she rang up to tell us she had reached Livv and boarded a bus to reach the border to fly back to India.”
Akshita is a second-year student at Kharkiv National Medical University. “I don’t want my daughter to go back as her safety is important for us. Therefore, I urge the Government of India to make arrangements for her study in the country in whichever college it is possible as my daughter has put in two years of her study in Ukraine,” Mr. Ramesh suggested.
The coffee grower added, “In an exceptional case, a provision can be made for students wishing to stay in India, to continue medical education. I don’t think this is unachievable.”
Mr. Ramesh said “Fellow student Naveen’s tragic death shocked us and our apprehensions went up further since my daughter was also in Kharkiv which was witnessing heavy bombardment. Ukrainians are said to be getting first priority and then the girl students for boarding trains,” said the girl’s father.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / TheHindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – March 03rd, 2022
Madeeha received support from the Indian Embassy. She was among the 240 Indian students who were evacuated from Ukraine on Monday.
Madeeha MG
Madikeri :
A girl from Kodagu studying in Ukraine has returned to Karnataka safely.
However, she has requested the Indian Embassy to help numerous other students who are trapped in the war zone.
Madeeha MG, daughter of Gafoor MM, is a resident of Gonikoppal in Kodagu. Madeeha is pursuing her first-year MBBS in Uzhhorod city of Ukraine at the Uzhhorod National University.
“I left for Uzhhorod on January 14. Uzhhorod City is safe and there was no bombing in the city,” Madeeha shared.
She, however, felt a sense of panic following the news of the war. “I kept getting updates on the war from Indian news channels and I panicked a bit. My parents were also worried. However, the University supported us,” she explained.
The University arranged for a bus to reach the Hungary border and once they crossed the border, Madeeha received support from the Indian Embassy.
“As soon as we reached Hungary, facilities were extended to us by the Indian Embassy. From Hungary, we boarded a flight arranged by the Embassy to reach Budapest Airport. From here, we reached Delhi. At the Delhi Airport, the Karnataka state government had arranged for a flight to Bengaluru and we landed safely in Bengaluru,” she said.
She was among the 240 Indian students who were evacuated from Ukraine on Monday. She appealed to the Indian Embassy to help evacuate numerous other students who are stuck in the war zone.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / March 01st, 2022
Amidst the escalating war situation in Ukraine, a female student from Kiev has managed to board a train from the capital and reach Ukraine-Hungary border, bringing great relief to her parents at Ammathi Hosur in Virajpet, who are desperate to see their daughter, M.P. Nirmala, a 5 th year medical student at Bogomolets National Medical University in Kiev.
“She called us today and told us that she had reached the Hungarian border from Lviv railway station. She said she is safe and awaiting clearances to cross the border for evacuation. This message brought us a big relief as we spent sleepless nights worried about her safety. Now that she has reached the border where there is no tension, we hope to see her home soon,” said her mother Rajani.
She, her husband and son were glued to television for updates after the Russian forces targeted Kiev. “My daughter lived on the ground floor of a flat with a Kerala student. Four more students joined them as they found their place safe. The flat residents helped them. They somehow managed to reach the Kiev railway station and boarded a train to Lviv, after being told by the Embassy. We are praying that she gets evacuated soon and reaches home safely as we are anxious to see her,” the mother said.
Rajani wants Nirmala to complete her medical education as one and half years are now left for her to receive the degree. “Her education is important for us besides her safety. Now that she is in her fifth year, we wish she finishes her degree. She can go back after the situation becomes normal. We wish she completes the course taking all safety precautions,” she said, explaining the hard work put in by her daughter.
M.B. Pradeep from Betoli village in Virajpet taluk is another anxious parent whose daughter is stuck at Sumy in war-torn Ukraine. A father of two daughters, Pradeep is hoping that his daughter Shreya Pradeep, who went to Ukraine just three months ago to pursue medical education, returns at the earliest.
“My daughter is stuck along with 23 students from U.P., Bihar, Kerala and other states. They are said to be safe as they have sheltered on the Sumy State University campus. We took loans from banks and sent her to Ukraine. We had not imagined that she would face this crisis within three months of her journey. Her safety is our priority,” he said.
The parent is slightly relieved as his daughter told him she is fine and safe. “Whenever we get a call, we get ourselves evacuated from this place. She calls us frequently to keep us calm,” said Pradeep, adding that armed guards accompany stranded students when they go out in the campus to purchase essentials in two shops located in the same campus.
“We were upset as we did not hear anything from her a day after Russia invaded Ukraine. We were told that her phone’s battery had drained due to a power outage. Thereafter, she keeps us updated. My family are hoping to see her soon,” said Pradeep, who runs a shop.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – February 20th, 2022
Students from Kodagu and other cities of Karnataka taking shelter in a bunker at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Family members tense as stranded students yet to get evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine amidst rising attacks
The family members of students from Kodagu stranded in worn-torn Ukraine are keeping their fingers crossed and desperately hoping for their early and safe return amidst unrelenting air strikes on the cities by Russian forces.
Sinya Varoke Jose, a 22-year-old fourth year medical student in the capital Kiev, which is under attack with Russian military advancing, has taken shelter in a bunker at a school building with another student from Karnataka. The Indian Embassy asked them to shift to the bunker after attacks on Kiev intensified.
Mr. Jose, Sinya’s uncle in Ponnampet, said the stranded Indian students had given the information that the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with them but their evacuation is getting delayed with rise in aerial strikes on the city, and difficulty in reaching the nearest international border amidst the war situation.
“The embassy officials seem to have told them that they need about eight buses to shift all of them to the border. Moreover, there is a shortage of gas as only 15 litress per vehicle is being provided. Even food is in short supply and they are having a harrowing time,” Mr. Jose explained his niece’s plight.
Mr Jose, who spoke to Sinya on Saturday morning and has been in constant touch since the war began, said her mother lives in a village near Ponnampet and she hasn’t been told about the crisis. “We are praying for her early return. My niece told me that the locals are helping them but the situation is very tense and unsafe,” he said.
Likith, a student from Ponnampet in Kodagu, who is one of the students from Karnataka stranded at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Karthik is constantly watching news channels for updates on the Ukraine-Russia war as his brother Likith is stuck in Kharkiv, one of the cities bombarded by the Russian forces.
As the war situation escalated, the Indian Embassy has told Indians stranded in Kharkiv not to venture out unless told by them even as Karnataka students have so far not received any communication about their evacuation.
“With my brother, eight other Karnataka students are stuck in Kharkiv. They moved to a bunker from the basement of their apartment on Saturday morning after loud explosions. Our prayer to the Indian government is to help them reach the border and evacuate them at the earliest to India as my family is worried about their safety,” said Karthik, an MBA student in Mysuru.
The place where Karnataka students are stuck also has 100-plus students from other Indian States.
Karthik, who has sent mails to the State government and the district administration with details of his brother for help, said Likith, a third year student at Kharkiv National Medical University, was planning to return to India after tensions rose but he did not get tickets. He attended online and offline classes the day before Russian invaded Ukraine. His flight was scheduled on March 3.
The situation appears to be tense as they are constantly hearing loud explosions. From the basement, they shifted to the bunker for their safety and eagerly awaiting evacuation calls from the Embassy, said Karthik, whose mother is a nurse.
“The nearest international border is about 1,500-km. away So, it is very challenging for the embassy officials too to move all of them to the border for evacuation. We don’t know how the situation will evolve in the next couple of days as tensions are building up with essentials getting exhausted,” said Karthik, after speaking to his brother.
Ten students from Kodagu are stuck in Kiev, Kharkiv, and Sumy Oblast. They include Ashwin Kumar B.V., Alisha Saiyad Ali, Billava Likith Koragappa, Chandan Gowda, Akshitha Akkamma, M.P. Nirmala, Arjun Vasanth, Sinya V.J., Mysore Kantharaj Tejaswini and Sheetal Sampath, according to the district administration.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 26th, 2022
A group of students from Karnataka are holed up in an apartment since the war broke out on Thursday
Parents of students from Karnataka who are pursuing their education in Ukraine, have their eyes and ears glued to the latest developments in the war zone since the last 48 hours.
A case in point is K.K. Manjunath of Kushalnagar whose son Chandan M. Gowda is studying in 3rd year of medicine at Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine.
Mr. Manjunath, former Kodagu district Congress president and former school teacher, said that his son and a few others from Karnataka are holed up in an apartment since the outbreak of war on Thursday. “They have been alerted by the local authorities to move to either the bunkers, metro station or to the basement in case of any impending danger,” said Mr. Manjunath.
He said Chandan was constantly in touch with the family but learnt from him that food they had stockpiled was fast running out and so was drinking water. ‘’If the war prolongs, then electricity will also be cut off and then mobile phones cannot be charged, and there are concerns that they will not be able to be in touch as at present,” said Mr. Manjunath.
The district administration has appointed nodal officers to collect details of individuals stranded in Ukraine but Mr. Manjunath said any talk of evacuation did not make sense at this juncture. “It is ok in the case of those in Western Ukraine. But the city where my son and hundreds of other students from India are pursuing their education has no air, road or rail connectivity and is cut off. Indian officials have advised them to drape the taxi with Indian flag so as to alert both the sides that they are from a friendly country. But no taxi or vehicle is on the road and hence they cannot go to the bordering countries like Romania from where the evacuation is planned,” said Mr. Manjunath. There are three other students from Kodagu who are also stranded in Ukraine, he added.
Mr. Manjunath said he and his wife L.R. Kavitha, a teacher, were hopeful that the war will not prolong and would end soon and bring them respite from the tension they are undergoing.
Meanwhile, the authorities in Mysuru said they have collected details of a few more students from the district who are in Ukraine and have passed it on to the Government for action.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – February 25th, 2022
Even as the Indian Government was making efforts to get the stranded students from the country evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine, five students from Kodagu currently stuck in different cities of Ukraine are safe, an official from the district disaster management authority has said.
The official, who wished not to be named, said he got in touch with the five students, including three girls and two boys, studying in cities, including Kyiv, and they told him that they were safe but were facing a short supply of essentials with shops and businesses closed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
“Till Friday afternoon, there was no communication from the students. However, the parents of these students got in touch with the district administration. We managed to make video calls with the students to know about their safety. They sought help for their early evacuation,” the official told The Hindu.
The Kodagu district administration is collating information on the stranded students and communicating the same to the State Government which is coordinating with the Indian government for evacuation.
Some students are said to be stuck on their college campuses while others are in their homes. “We have advised them to take all safety precautions. They have been advised to remain on the ground floor or in the basement of the buildings as a safety measure with cities under aerial attacks,” according to the official.
One problem that the students are facing now is the transportation to reach the border for getting evacuated from neighbouring countries like Poland. “The government authorities are coordinating on this issue with the embassy as we have communicated the problems faced by the students, who have been counselled on managing the war situation with the available resources. Their parents in Kodagu have been told to remain calm with efforts on to get them evacuated soon,” the disaster management official said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 25th, 2022
For Nikitha Kikanamada, a sophomore nursing major at Quinnipiac University, the beginning of the spring semester is bittersweet, as it’s her last semester as the titleholder of Miss Connecticut Teen USA.
During her Miss Teen USA interview, Kikanamada wore a Sherwani, a traditional South Asian suit. (Contributed by Nikitha Kikanamada)
Kikanamada will pass down the title to the winner of Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2022 in April, after holding it since June 2021. She has used her platform as the first Indian-American titleholder to increase representation of her South Asian culture, as well as expanding her mental health advocacy.
After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2019, Kikanamada started an Instagram account called More for Myself, where she raises awareness for mental health issues. She also runs an account called The South Asian Segment, where she features the stories of people of South Asian descent to combat stereotypes.
“(Mental health issues are) not something that is talked about in South Asian households,” Kikanamada said. “So to be the face of change for those people who look like me, I’m just so honored.”
In November 2021, Kikanamada took her platform to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she competed in Miss Teen USA. While she did not place in the competition, Kikanamada said she enjoyed the opportunity to represent her home state.
“Even though I didn’t win or even place, I was able to share my story,” Kikanamada said. “And that, in itself, is an achievement.”
As she enters her first college semester that is not simultaneously preoccupied with preparations for her next pageant, Kikanamada said she is looking forward to continuing her education.
“I don’t know if I will be back yet as a Miss,” Kikanamada said. “I hope to, I really do, but it’s a lot. It’s mentally, physically and emotionally a lot. And I just want to focus on myself right now and my career.”
Despite juggling nursing school and preparing for pageants, Kikanamada said her professors have always been supportive and understanding of her situation.
“(Last semester) they were more than happy to accommodate me and everything that I’ve been doing,” Kikanamada said. “They seem very proud of me, which gives me a lot of support.”
Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2021 and Quinnipiac nursing student Nikitha Kikanamada (right) poses with Miss Teen USA 2021 Breanna Myles (left). (Contributed by Nikitha Kikanamada)
Professor of psychology Anne Eisbach taught Kikanamada in a child development psychology course during the fall. She said she enjoyed learning about Kikanamada’s efforts as titleholder.
“It was clear to me that she was strongly committed to her responsibilities both as a student and a titleholder – and I was impressed with how she balanced both roles,” Eisbach said. “… As a professor, I always encourage my students to broaden their education beyond the classroom and so I was happy to support Nikitha as she was able to make this happen!”
Before being named Miss Connecticut Teen USA, Kikanamada also held the titles of Miss South Windsor Teen USA 2020 and Miss Teen India Connecticut 2018. She first entered the pageant industry at eight years old, when her mom enrolled her in modeling and acting classes.
“She always told me, ‘I just saw something in you,’” Kikanamada said.
After modeling, acting and dancing for several years, Kikanamada entered pageants through the National American Miss organization, a program for girls ages 4-20. Through NAM, Kikanamada participated in competitions for preteen titles throughout the Northeast.
In high school, Kikanamada went on to win Miss Teen India Connecticut, her first major pageant title. Kikanamada said her time as the titleholder for Miss Teen India Connecticut piqued her interest in the opportunity to represent her Indian heritage on a larger scale.
“I was able to take my culture and my background and something I love, which is pageants, and in ways mix them into one, which was really amazing,” Kikanamada said.
In 2019, Kikanamada had another opportunity to represent her culture when she competed for Miss Connecticut Teen USA. After not placing in the competition, Kikanamada decided to move on from pageants and focus on finishing high school and pursuing college. Then, when she received a letter in the mail asking her to come back to compete in Miss Connecticut Teen USA 2020, she decided she wanted to give it one more shot.
“I wasn’t going to (compete again), I really wasn’t,” Kikanamada said. “I begged my mom to let me be coached — usually girls get coached for their local pageants, (but) I’ve never been coached before, until I reached out to the coaches that sponsored (the previous) year.”
Kikanamada joined KP Consulting, where she has multiple coaches that help her prepare for competitions.
“I love them so much,” Kikanamada said. “They truly just helped me be who I am today. They helped me find a purpose in my life.”
Kaet Parent, one of Kikanamada’s coaches, said her preparation for Miss Connecticut Teen USA was challenging as it was plagued by uncertainty — the pageant was postponed multiple times due to the pandemic.
“Nikitha was on top of everything, no matter how frustrating anything was in terms of COVID impacting the dates being changed, a lot of uncertainty, she just remained diligent,” Parent said. “She had a goal and her goal was to win, and nothing was gonna get in her way.”
Beyond coaching, Parent said she has valued getting to know Kikanamada on a personal level, calling her “special and incredible.”
“Nikitha just has this fire inside of her that is so special,” Parent said. “… I think that is something that anyone around her, not even talking in the world of pageants, but anyone around her — friends or family professors — they see that and I think that is something that people latch onto.”
source: http://www.quchronicle.com / The Quinnipiac Chronicle / Home> Featured> Features> News / by Melina Khan, News Editor / February 03rd, 2022
During the natural calamities that struck the district, the Mayamudi Higher Primary School had suffered immense damage and students were forced to study under leaking roofs.
One of the new classrooms (Photo | Special arrangement)
Madikeri :
Classrooms built by OSAAT Charitable Trust at a cost of Rs 40 lakh were inaugurated at the Mayamudi Higher Primary School in Kodagu. The improved classrooms will help support the education of many tribal kids in the village.
During the natural calamities that struck the district, the Mayamudi Higher Primary School had suffered immense damage and the rural students of the school were forced to study under leaking roofs inside the vulnerable school building. Alerted by this situation at the school, One School At A Time (OSAAT) Charitable Trust members came forward to build four new classrooms at the school premises with improved facilities for Rs 40 lakh. Further, since the school lacked proper toilet facilities, OSAAT has also built a toilet for the girl students at Rs 6 lakh.
In 2020, members of OSAAT including PV Subramanya, Ramesh Babu and NV Gopalakrishna Bhat visited the school premises and assured to build improved classrooms in a year’s time. Four new classrooms and a toilet have now been completed and were inaugurated by MLA KG Bopaiah on Monday. With over 100 volunteers in the charitable trust from across the country, the Mayamudi School is the 51st school project completed by the trust.
“Education is the backbone to build a prosperous country. Promoting education in rural India will help educate the students from poor family backgrounds. The OSAAT Charitable Trust has enabled and supported the education of rural kids and the residents must be grateful for their work,” said Bopaiah, inaugurating the school building. OSAAT members Nagesh and Shrisha were present with the school management during the inaugural ceremony.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Express News Service / January 24th, 2022
WELCOME. If you like what you see "SUBSCRIBE via EMAIL" to receive FREE regular UPDATES.
Read More »
