Indian restaurant in Kyiv doubles up as safe house, feeds refugees

At a time when Ukraine is in the midst of a raging war and its residents are scampering for refuge, an Indian restaurant in Kyiv has set an example by providing sanctuary to those in need of food and a safe shelter.

Saathiya, the Indian restaurant owned by Gujarat’s Manish Dave was opened in January this year, keeping in mind the large population of Indian students living in Kyiv. The war, however, has transformed this underground eatery into a safe house, not only for stranded Indians but for anyone seeking protection from the bombing and shelling outside and a meal.

Also read: Russia-Ukraine war: How Indian med students’ dreams came crashing

The past few days have seen Dave’s restaurant turn into a shelter for students, children, pregnant women and the elderly as well as homeless people.

Asked for how long he would be able to get supplies for his guests, Dave says, he would do it for as long as he can.

He recently posted a message on Telegram, informing people that those in search for a safe place to stay are welcome to his restaurant.

“Dear friend from India or any national, our restaurant is in basement and it’s called safe place to stay in this situation. If you don’t have proper safe place to stay during this time, please go here. We will try our best to arrange free food and stay according to our capacity. Stand united with Ukraine,” he posted.

Dave, 52, and a resident of Gujarat’s Vadodara, in 2021 shifted base to Kyiv to open his restaurant, aiming to provide Indian food to the thousands of Indian students living there.

His restaurant is also strategically located at a stone’s throw distance from a hostel for international students studying in the Bogometets National Medical University. But before his business could pick up, the attacks happened.

Seeing the city rock with explosions and people scurrying for safety, Dave said it stuck him that his underground restaurant could double up as a bunker.

“A basement is a safe place…The place is so big, and I should help,” he told The Washington Post.

Ever since, people have started pouring in and Dave has given shelter and fed more than 130 of them so far.

Dave and his team have carefully rationing their inventory and have stuck to traditional Indian food like dal and rice as well as pastas which can be cooked in huge batches and are inexpensive to prepare.