Indian Medical Student Naveen Shekharappa Becomes Victim of Ukraine War

An Indian medical student Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar from Karnataka lost his life in the Ukraine war.

Naveen was staying in a bunker for the past few days along with his roommate and classmate Srikanth. He was a fourth-year MBBS student at Kharkiv National Medical University.

Naveen stepped out early morning to buy food and exchange some money when a Russian rocket struck the city’s historic Freedom Square.

Srikanth told India Today, “There is a curfew here till 6 am. After 6 am, he went outside to buy some supplies when we were sleeping.” Naveen didn’t inform anyone before leaving the bunker according to his friend. 

He called Naveen several times but he didn’t answer the call. Later he tried some local contacts and someone answered the call who was speaking in Russian. 

“I gave my phone to one of my neighbours who is a Ukrainian citizen. They talked and he told me what had happened. Then we contacted our head who confirmed it,” Srikanth told India Today.

Naveen is the younger son of retired paper mill employee Shekharappa Gyanagoudar and Vijaylakshmi. He hails from Chalageri in Karnataka’s Haveri district. 

Unable to bear the expensive private higher education in India, he decided to send his son to Ukraine but that proved far more costly expressed the dejected father.

The father has requested the government to bring back his son’s body.