Families, the future, and money — As their family members back home struggle with the developments following the Island nation experiencing its greatest economic crisis in seven decades, Sri Lankan students in India are on hooks worrying about the three.
Amritha Vidyapathy, a student in Lucknow who is from Colombo, claims she has been pleading with his family to move to India with her because of the developing scenario for months.
''I have been urging them to come with me here but my family has their whole life there which is now in shambles considering the businesses which were already affected by the pandemic are in worse state now. I don't know what future holds for me and my family,'' she said.
Another student Ama Nethmi, is wondering about how long her family will be able to send her money to help her survive in India. ''I am totally dependent on money which my family sends as I am still a student. Considering how the situation is, not sure how long will they be able to send me money and how will they survive. I am not sure if going back to them is even an option at the moment,'' she said.
A severe lack of foreign currency is impeding the import of necessities like food, fuel, and medications, and Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in seven decades.
After Rajapaksa was forced to quit the country and step down as president due to a popular revolt against the government, the economic crisis also precipitated a political crisis in the nation. Rajapksa, 73, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown in his resignation letter for Sri Lanka's economic problems.
People in Sri Lanka are unable to access the basic necessities, according to a final-year student of the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad's MDes degree in furniture and interior design.
''I am speaking to them continously and getting updates of the unfolding situation, none of which are positive. I had plans to go back to my country and work in the area I specialised in but I don't think so it is feasible now. Even if I work here, it will be take me some time to be able to send any money back home to help my family in Sri Lanka,'' he said. According to officials statistics, there are over 14,000 Srilankan students enrolled in various universities in India.
Another Srilankan student at a university in Bangalore, who did not wish to be identified said, '' watching news about the developments in my country is worrisome. There is shortage of essential goods such as fuel, cooking gas, and power cuts for 13 hours a day, its a chaos which is unimaginable''.
The island nation off the southeast coast of India would require roughly USD 5 billion over the next six months to provide for its 22 million residents, who have been suffering from lengthy lines, deteriorating shortages, and power outages. Sri Lankan lawmakers convened on Saturday to start the process of selecting Rajapaksa's successor. Rajapaksa is currently in Singapore.
This year, the majority of Sri Lanka's foreign aid has come from India.
The Indian High Commission in this country reaffirmed on Friday that India will continue to support the Sri Lankan people as they fight to realise their ambitions for prosperity and advancement via democratic means, values, and established institutions as well as a constitutional framework.
