Student from Karnataka killed in Ukraine

Relatives and friends gather at the residence of Naveen Shekharappa at Chalageri village in Haveri on March 1.

An Indian student from Karnataka was killed in intense shelling by advancing Russian forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on March 1. The deceased has been identified as 21-year-old G. Naveen Shekharappa from the village of Chalageri in Ranibennur taluk of Haveri district and was a final year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University. According to reliable sources, Naveen had stepped out of a bunker to fetch some essential food supplies when he was killed.

The death of Naveen was confirmed by Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, who tweeted: “With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning. The Ministry is in touch with his family. We convey our deepest condolences to the family.”

Speaking to mediapersons at his home in Chalageri, Shekhar Gowda, the father of Naveen said: “Through the media, I want to tell the officials, embassy, the Prime Minister to bring back my son’s dead body. I also request all political leaders to kindly look into the matter of donations [for medical seats]. All intelligent students are going abroad to study. They think that if they plan to study here, they have to pay crores to get a seat. The same education along with excellent practical education is cheaper abroad. In India, they are allotting the seats cost-wise [on the basis of donations]. My son was an excellent student and had secured 97 per cent in PUC [Pre-University College].”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Shekhar Gowda over telephone and conveyed his condolences. In Karnataka, Naveen’s death was condoled by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who stated that all efforts were being made to bring back Naveen’s dead body. Naveen’s death was also condoled by former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy.