New Delhi: The family of Naveen Shekharappa, the fourth-year Indian medical student killed in shelling attack in Ukraine, has decided to donate his body for medical research.
“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,” news agency ANI quoted Naveen’s father Shankarappa as saying.
After performing the final rites, the family has decided to donate his body to the S.S. Medical College of Davanagere, his father added.
“My son’s body will reach Bengaluru on 21st at 3am. From there the body will reach our village by 9am. Then we’ll perform Pooja as per the Veera Shaiva tradition then we’ll keep it for the public view and then we’ll donate the body to SS Hospital Davanagere for medical studies… We got the message from the Haveri District Collector office and also got the message from the Emirates flight service,” Shankarappa added.
Earlier on Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had said that Naveen’s body would arrive in the Bengaluru airport on Monday (March 21).
"Now, the sadness has gone away after learning that we will be able to see his body for the last time," news agency IANS quoted Naveen’s father as saying.
Both Naveen’s parents thanked the authorities for bringing back their son’s body and said that they would find some solace now.
Naveen, a native of Chalageri in the Haveri district, was in the fourth year of his course in the Kharkiv medical college. He was in a bunker in Kharkiv and had gone out in the morning to exchange currency and to fetch some food when he was killed in a shelling attack.