Indian killed in Ukarine’s Kharkiv is Naveen, 21. He was studying to be doctor | Bengaluru - Hindustan Times
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Indian killed in Ukraine's Kharkiv is Naveen, 21. He was studying to be doctor

ByHT Correspondent
Mar 01, 2022 11:42 PM IST

Shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv: Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar from Haveri district 300km from Karnataka capital, was a final year student at Kharkiv National Medical University.

A final-year medical student from Karnataka’s Haveri was killed in intense shelling by advancing Russian forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, prompting New Delhi to call in envoys of Russia and Ukraine and demand safe passage for thousands of Indians trapped in Ukraine.

Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar from Karnataka’s Haveri district Karnataka capital, was killed on Monday morning. The external affairs ministry said he died in shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv
Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar from Karnataka’s Haveri district Karnataka capital, was killed on Monday morning. The external affairs ministry said he died in shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv

Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar from Haveri district 300km from Karnataka capital, was 21. He was a final year student at Kharkiv National Medical University.

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“It has been confirmed from MEA that a Karnataka origin person, Naveen, has died in a Kharkiv firing. Our chief secretary has spoken to the foreign secretary and confirmed this,” Manoj Rajan, the commissioner for disaster management and Karnataka’s nodal officer in charge of the evacuation of students from Ukraine said in a video message.

Ukrainian service members stand guard outside the regional administration building, which city officials said was hit by a missile attack, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 1 (Reuters)
Ukrainian service members stand guard outside the regional administration building, which city officials said was hit by a missile attack, in central Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 1 (Reuters)

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted the first confirmation of the 21-year-old’s death, saying “an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning”.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s office later said the chief minister has spoken with Naveen's father Shekar Gowda on phone.

Shekar Gowda told the chief minister that he spoke with his son in the morning over the phone hours before he was killed. Naveen used to call up twice or thrice every day.

"It is a big blow. May the almighty bestow eternal peace on Naveen. You must be brave to bear the tragic happening," Bommai told the grieving father.

Bommai's office said all efforts are on to bring the mortal remains of Naveen to India. “Talks are on with officials of the external affairs ministry in this regard,” Bommai said during his conversation with Naveen's father.

Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar’s death prompted the external affairs ministry to demand that Russia and Ukraine take immediate steps to ensure safe passage for Indian students who are trapped in the country.

“Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones. Similar action is also being undertaken by our Ambassadors in Russia and Ukraine,” Bagchi added.

He added that the state government and the union are doing everything possible to bring back students safely from the war-torn country.

It is not clear how many students are still in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city where, according to reports, Russian artillery bombarded residential districts of the city on Monday. Estimates of the total number of Indian students in Kharkiv range from 2,000 to 4,000.

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