Quake-hit Indians set to return

HONG KONG: Some of the 150 Indian students at a Chinese medical college in the quake-affected Sichuan province, who have been traumatised by the killer quake and the aftershocks, may be permitted to return home to India. 

Sources in Beijing told DNA some of the students at the West China Centre for Medical Sciences under the Sichuan University, in Chengdu, had asked university officials to be allowed to advance their summer holidays, go back to India, and take their final exams after returning in August.

The students have been “traumatised” by their experience since the May 12 quake, which has killed over 60,000 people, and the aftershocks, which continued even until Sunday, the sources said.

University officials had advised students in Chengdu, 90 km from the epicentre, that it was safe for them to return to the dormitories and attend classes – and that they were required to camp in open areas only if there was forewarning of aftershocks. 

But some of the shaken students were feeling too scared to return to their dorms and were continuing to camp in the open.   The officials did not initially concede the students’ request to advance their holiday, go back to India and take the exams upon their return in August.

But following an intervention by Embassy officials, who discussed the matter with the Director of Overseas Students, the students have been told that their request had been approved, but that they were required to apply in writing for leave of absence. 

Student representatives in Chengdu had been conveyed the official position, the sources added. Two officers of the Indian Consulate-General in the southern city of Guangzhou visited visited the students in Chengdu to enquire after their welfare, and were satisfied that they were alright, the sources said.

In addition to the 150 students at West China Medical Centre, there are 228 Indian students and four teachers at Luzhou Medical College; and 45 students at North Sichuan Medical University in Nanchong.