Locals gather at the residence of Naveen Shekharappa, a final year medical student, who passed away due to Russian shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, at Chalageri village in Haveri on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: PTI
“Despite scoring 97% in PUC, my son could not secure a medical seat in the State. It became inevitable for us to send him to Ukraine for studies. But we lost him,” a distraught Shekarappa said referring to the tragic death of his son Naveen in Ukraine.
Naveen, a fourth-year MBBS student who died in the Russian attack in Kharkiv, was a native of Chalageri village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district.
Mr. Shekharappa, a mechanical engineer, who took up farming after retirement, and his wife Vijayalaxmi were inconsolable as relatives, well-wishers, and political leaders continued to visit them on Tuesday after the news about their son’s death spread.
“Naveen was a bright student from the beginning. However, as the family could not afford the cost of medical education here, he was sent to study medicine in Ukraine,” his cousin Gangadhar Gyanagoudar recalled, from the residence of Naveen.
Mr. Shekharappa spent most part of his career outside Haveri. He worked for an oil company in Abu Dhabi before returning to India and joining South Indian Paper Mill at Nanjanagud in Mysuru district.
It was in Nanjangud that Naveen had his primary, high school, and PU education. Having retired two years ago, Mr. Shekharappa and Ms. Vijayalaxmi settled down in Chalageri, where they had ancestral property. “My uncle bought additional land and took to farming. Naveen’s elder brother Harsha has completed M.Sc Agri,” Mr. Gangadhar said.
According to him, Naveen had called his father on Tuesday morning over phone. However, Mr. Shekharappa had not noticed it. After some time, he received a call informing him about the death, Mr. Gangadhar said. “We were told that the tragic incident happened when they were trying to return,” he said.
The incident has shaken families of students still stuck in the crisis-hit country. Sridhar Vaishyar, father of Suman Vaishyar, who is in Kharkiv, alleged that repeated attempts made by his son to contact Shivakumar Udasi, local MP, had failed. “He tried several times, but Mr. Udasi is not answering the call. We had informed the MP’s local aide. He said he had informed the MP and asked Suman to call him. But when he did, his call was not received,” Mr. Sridhar said adding that their only hope was the Almighty.
Venkatesh Vaishyar, whose son Amit also studies in Kharkiv, lambasted the politicians for what he termed as their apathy towards the stranded students.
Later in the evening, Mr. Udasi visited Naveen’s residence and consoled his parents. He even clarified that he had spoken to Mr. Suman and contacted the MEA authorities and was doing his best. The village residents appealed to him to help bring back the mortal remains of Naveen, and to also help the remaining students return safely.
