Ukraine-Russia war: Naveen's college in Mysuru condoles death of its student in Ukraine

Mysuru: A pall of gloom enveloped Unity PU College in Nanjangud of Mysuru district, where a condolence meet was held on Wednesday to condole the death of their past student Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagaudar who studied at Kharkiv national medical university and died in shelling in Kharkiv in Eastern Ukraine on Tuesday.

Over 300 students, lecturers of the college including his Kannada lecturer Rama Mohan, Maths lecturer, Suresh Kumar S, Principal Anitha Kumar who are deeply shocked and pained by his sad demise, gathered for the condolence meet on Wednesday morning.

 “I am safe, inside the bomb shelter” this was the last whatsapp message from Naveen, to his Kannada lecturer, Rama Mohan from Unity PU college of Nanjangud at 7.32pm on 27 February.

Speaking to News Trail, Mr Rama Mohan told this, and he recalled, “Though Naveen hailed from Haveri district, his education from class 6 to second PUC was in  Nanjangud. Naveen had completed PUC in Unity College in March 2018 with 92 percent by scoring 553 marks including 96 in Biology, 95 in Physics, 90 each in Mathematics, Chemistry and Kannada, and 92 in English. He had passed an exam conducted by Government, and had got seat in English medium government Adarsha Vidyalaya school in Debur near Nanjangud, where he studied from class 6 to 10, and had topped the school with 96 percent, by scoring 605 marks out of 625 marks. His father worked as Engineer in South India paper mills, one of the oldest industries in Nanjangud. And they resided in housing board layout in Nanjangud. His father Shekarappa and mother Vijayalaxmi had returned to their native Chalageri in Haveri district, just two years ago where they owned 2 acres of land,” he said.

He added, “Naveen had written NEET to study MBBS here, but since he did not get medical student in our State, he was slightly frustrated. And he was happy that he got seat to study MBBS in Ukraine. And he was the only student from the college who studied there. Had he got medical seat here, would not have gone to Ukraine,” Mr Rama Mohan said.

He added, “he had contacted us in February beginning, for he wanted to get their surname  “Gyanagaudar” to be added to his father’s name in his second PUC marks card, as it was mentioned so in his passport. We had got necessary changes done and had mailed it to him. And he had even acknowledged it. He was a very good, lively student, with helping nature. Infact he had gone out to get food for himself and others too at Kharkiv when the incident has occurred.  When he last texted me on whatsapp on 27 February too he had ended his text with emoji of heart. We are deeply pained by his sad demise,” Mr Rama Mohan added.

His Maths lecturer Suresh Kumar too recalled that Naveen was a bright student, with friendly and positive attitude and he always wanted to be a doctor, he said.
 
Naveen's friend Divakar who studied with him at Adarsha Vidhyalaya from 6 to 10th, said, “He was in touch with friends of Nanjangud via social media even after he went to Ukraine. And he had last met us in September 2021, when he had come to India, and we all had been for a day’s trip to Coorg. He had texted me on whatsapp on Tuesday morning 8am, that the situation was very critical and they were drinking water from tap of wash basin and were getting only two meals a day. They were finding tough to reach Indian embassy. And there should be pressure on Central government, only they can help us, is what he had said. We were unable to believe the news by afternoon. But after his friend Amit was interviewed and when clippings of videos of parents from Chalageri was telecasted in news channels, it was confirmed and, it was too shocking. Wish atleast his body is brought back,” he said.