“All of (the) sudden, one morning (I) got up and read in the newspaper really shocking news for all of us,” said Karphik Ayodhirananujan, mechanical engineer graduate student. “Saturday morning (I) heard about a major earthquake (in India) and that night again we see more tragic news (at OSU) and we didn’t know who was dead.”
There has been no official word of any exchange students who have lost loved ones in the quake, but many are still waiting to hear from home.
“The main state affected was Gujarat, which has four primary cities hit,” said Tim Huff, manager for Office of International Students and Scholars. “I checked with Student Information Services and there are no kids registered in those four particular cities. However, about a dozen (students) are from that area. There have been two or three that have already returned home.
“The biggest problem is they haven’t heard anything, because there is really no effective way of communication — it’s sort of a wait-and-see process,” he said.
With 298 members, the Indian Student Association had the largest number of international students on campus last fall, so the earthquake is expected to affect its members the most.
“I lived down south, and (when) I called up my mom she said there were a few light tremors even that far south,” said Prakash Paul, vice president for the ISA.
Although most students were not directly affected by the earthquake, their hearts and thoughts are still with their homeland.
The ISA will have a booth in the Student Union for the rest of the week, collecting donations for earthquake victims. The ISA has also approached faculty to solicit contributions.
“We are not in a position to help, but this is one way of helping our countrymen — that’s all we can do,” Ayodhirananujan said.
Students can make contributions at the booth near the Student Union or send a check to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund Embassy of India, Attn: Head of Chancery, 2107 Mass. Ave., Washington DC 20008.
The ISA will provide a receipt for contributions.
“I don’t think a lot of people know — and we didn’t know how to advertise and do this kind of stuff here,” Ayodhirananujan said.
Currently, about $400 has been raised.
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