War on innocents

Shilpa P | NT

Naveen was just another medical student until the war had him stranded in Ukraine with other fellow Indians. His death in a bombing has made the war a living nightmare for the students and their families. Shilpa P. reports.

“I am safe, inside the bomb shelter” -- this was the last WhatsApp message from Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagaudar (who studied at Kharkiv National Medical University and died in the shelling in Kharkiv in Eastern Ukraine on Tuesday) to his Kannada lecturer, Rama Mohan from Unity PU College of Nanjangud in Mysuru district at 7.32pm on 27 February.

Naveen hailed from Haveri district, but his education from class 6 to second PUC was in Nanjangud. 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.

Rama Mohan recalls: “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.”

Naveen he had contacted his college in February beginning, as he wanted to get his surname Gyanagaudar to be added to his father’s name in his second PUC marks card, as it was mentioned so in his passport. “He was a very good, lively student, with a helping nature. In fact 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, he had ended his text with emoji of heart. We are deeply pained by his sad demise,” says Rama Mohan.

His maths lecturer Suresh Kumar too remembers Naveen was a bright student, with a friendly and positive attitude. “He always wanted to be a doctor,” he said.

His friend Divakar who studied with him at Adarsha Vidhyalaya says: “He was in touch with his 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 had all been for a day’s trip to Coorg.” On Tuesday morning 8am Naveen had messaged Divakar on WhatsApp. “He said the situation was very critical and they were drinking water from tap of a wash basin and were getting only two meals a day. They were finding it difficult to reach the Indian embassy. And there should be pressure on Central government, only they can help us,” says Divakar. His friends were shocked when video clippings of his parents from Chalageri were telecast on news channels talking about Navin’s tragic death. “We wish at least his body is brought back,” says Divakar.