Amid the grief that the family is undergoing and the consolation pouring in from across the State, Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, father of Naveen Gyanagoudar, who was killed in Ukraine, has said that bringing back all students safely from Ukraine would be a befitting tribute to his son.
Mr. Shekharappa’s residence at Chalageri village is being visited by members of various organisations and political leaders and well-wishers. “Our plea is that the government take steps to bring back all those stuck in the war-hit country. It will be the right tribute to our son,” he said when a delegation of AIDSO (All India Democratic Students Organisation) from Dharwad met him to offer condolences on Thursday.
“We are in grief after our son’s death. But the parents of those students who are still stuck in Ukraine and are not in a position to establish contact are more shocked and perturbed. These are not students whose parents had plenty of money, but these are meritorious students who could not get seats in government colleges and not able to afford the cost of studying in private medical colleges in India,” he said.
AIDSO office-bearers Mahanthesh Bellur said the onus was now on the Union Government which should make all out efforts to bring back stranded students on priority basis. This apart, the government should also initiate steps to check the commercialisation of medical education, which forces Indian students to go to countries like Russia and Ukraine for studies. Meanwhile a delegation of Students Federation of India (SFI) from Haveri led by Basavaraj Bhovi also met the family and offered condolences.
Candle light vigil
Medical students held candle light vigil under the aegis of AIDSO in Dharwad on Wednesday night to pay tribute to Naveen. Addressing the students, AIDSO office bearers condemned insensitive remarks being made by some leaders about the students who had taken admissions in medical colleges abroad. Instead of taking measures to strengthen government medical education, the Prime Minister of the country was extending open invitation to private players to establish more colleges and further commercial medical education, they alleged.
