Indian spiritual centres in Europe are hosting Ukrainian refugees

The Russia-Ukraine war has displaced 100,000 Ukrainians already, and the number could go up to 5 million.

For many of those who find themselves marooned, help has come from humanitarian organisations, a number of Indian ones.

ISKCON in Ukraine

“In the past also, during the Chechnya war, our devotees served those in distress, especially old people who are stranded in their flats and no one is there to take care of them,” said Radharaman Das, vice-president of ISKCON, Kolkata. “The same spirit is there during these difficult times and the devotees are working out how best they can serve people stranded in war zones in Ukraine.”

© Provided by Quartz ISKCON Ukraine

ISKCON Ukraine’s locations.

Khalsa Aid

Sikh philanthropist organisation Khalsa Aid has been organising langars, free communal kitchens, in trains ferrying refugees.

Ravinder Singh, founder and CEO of Khalsa Aid, also tweeted about setting up relief teams on the ground in Poland, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania. Volunteers have already helped 20 Indian students reach Warsaw, from where they can be evacuated. Tens of thousands of them are still stuck, since the Indian government was only able to remove a few hundred before the Ukranian air space shut.

Art of Living

In Poland, Art of Living, founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981, is also taking in those in need.