5 bullets, Rs 7 lakh loan, but I don't regret going to Ukraine

I HAD gone to Ukraine in pursuit of a better future. Now, with five bullets and a Rs 7-lakh loan still pending, I don’t know what it holds for me.

After finishing my graduation (IT) from Punjab Technical University in 2014, I started working. But I wanted to improve my career prospects so I decided to study further. Last year, I began researching on higher studies, asking friends and others around. I began with the obvious destinations for Indian students — Canada, Australia, Schengen countries. But for someone belonging to a middle-class family, studying in these countries was beyond my budget and dreams. Ukraine emerged as a sensible choice. The process to go there was easy, unlike most other countries. The level of education imparted there was on a par with European educational institutions. Above all, the cost was much, much less. I opted to pursue a one-year PG IT diploma at the International European University, Kyiv.

I had saved a little but had to take a bank loan of Rs4 lakh and borrow Rs3 lakh more from my friends.

I reached Kyiv in July last year and rented a one-room apartment near my university. There were other Indian students in my department but I hardly got the time to interact or socialise with them, as I worked part-time at a local restaurant to pay for my rent and food. There are very few Indian restaurants there, though many Turkish ones. Initially, there was a language barrier but I soon picked up enough Ukrainian and Russian to go by. Life was tough but the place was nice and people good-natured. The law and order situation was normal and I never faced any discrimination or experienced racism. In fact, when I would wear a turban, the locals were fascinated and would happily click selfies with me. Despite hard work, it was happy living.

Then, on February 24, the war broke out as Russia invaded Ukraine. People started fleeing in huge numbers, whichever way they could. We also tried, but the trains were full. On February 26, we went to the railway station to board a train to Lviv but were not allowed. Next day, we hired a taxi to Lviv. We cleared the first two checkpoints but had to return from the third.

The shooting began on the way back. I was sitting on the back seat of the taxi. Initially, we ducked and hid inside the car but the gunfire continued. I managed to crawl out of the car and took shelter near a roadside wall. I could only shield my left side, my right side remained exposed. There was continuous firing but I was too scared to look up to see whether the shooters were Ukrainian or Russian. I pretended to be dead to escape the bullets, but had no such luck. The first bullet struck me in the chest. I was writhing in pain but I tried to remain motionless. I could last like that only for half an hour. When I moved, I was shot again, this time in both the legs and right shoulder and arm. I passed out then. I woke up four days later in Kyiv Clinical Hospital. The doctors there told me that an ambulance had picked me up from the shooting spot some four-five hours later, where I had remained unconscious and was bleeding profusely. They had operated to take out the bullets and didn’t charge a penny.

After regaining consciousness, I tried to contact the Indian embassy, but couldn’t. I remember making at least 170 calls to the embassy. Eventually, I was able to contact a Khalsa Aid volunteer. On learning my plight, their founder, Ravi Singh, himself called me back and connected me to the Indian media. NDTV was the first to highlight my story, others followed suit.

After this, the Indian government arranged my homecoming and my further treatment at Base Hospital at Delhi Cantonment, where they operated on my left knee and have put metal plates.

I was discharged on March 28. Doctors have recommended therapy as there is no sensation in my right leg, shoulder and arm. It is going to be a slow road to recovery as it would take at least a year-and-a-half of further treatment for me to have a semblance of normal life.

Whatever may have happened, I don’t regret my decision to go to Ukraine. The situation was not in my hands. There’s no chance of going back as it may be another 10 years before that country is able to rebuild itself. At the moment, my only focus is my recovery and then paying off my debt, though I don’t know how I am going to go about it. I was told that from now on I would have to pay for my treatment. I don’t know whether I can work in my present condition. My father is 75 and retired. I am grateful to the government for my free treatment though I wish it could have helped a little more.

— The writer got shot in Ukraine
(As told to Renu Sud Sinha)