On March 1, India experienced the blow of Ukraine war, first-hand. It was no more just about the figure of casualties that newspaper headlines throw up, it was about a young promising Indian life snuffed out for no fault of his.
Naveen Shekarappa, 21, who was studying at Kharkiv National Medical University, Ukraine died in shelling while standing in a queue to get food supplies. Thereafter, began the painful tragic wait to get Shekarappa Gyanagaudar's mortal remains back home, which finally arrived in India this morning after three weeks.
Even in death and devastation, Shekarappa's family has taken the humanitarian decision of donating his body for medical research. Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, an MBBS student, was a native of Karnataka's Haveri district. His parents have decided to donate the body to SS Medical College in the Davanagere district of Karnataka.
"My son wanted to achieve something in the medical field, that didn't happen. At least his body can be used by other medical students for studies. That's why, we at home, have decided to donate his body for medical research," Naveen's father had said earlier.
Regrettably...
While Naveen's body has been donated for medical research to an institute in India, it is these very medical institutes he did not get admission into. His father had earlier blamed the system for his son not getting admission in medical field in India.
"Despite scoring 97% in PUC, my son could not secure a medical seat in State. To get a medical seat, one has to give crores of rupees and students are getting same education abroad spending less money," he had said.
Tributes pour in
Tributes poured in and people turned up in huge numbers to pay respects to Naveen's body, which was kept in a glass casket. It was taken through the village in a procession. While his parents have decided to donate the body, Karnataka CM handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the family of Naveen Shekarappa and promised job for a family member.
