Mortal remains of Indian student killed in Ukraine on March 1 arrives in Bengaluru

The mortal remains of a 21-year-old Indian student killed in war-torn Ukraine arrived in Bengaluru on Monday morning.

Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar was a fourth-year medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University was killed on March 1 in Russian shelling when he stepped out of his apartment for a nearby supermarket to buy some provisions. His parents have said that the body will be donated for medical research.

Gyanagaudar's family members, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were among the others present at the airport to receive the body. The body was then taken to Gyanagaudar's native place, Chalageri village of Ranebennur taluk in Haveri district. Stating that it is unfortunate that Gyanagaudar lost his life in the conflict zone.

Thanking the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and officials, for bringing thousands of students back home from Ukraine, he said, "this (bringing body) was just impossible because most of the time we can't get the bodies of our soldiers from war zones, but here getting a citizen's body that too from a third country, is just a miracle."

Gyanagaudar's parents have decided to donate the body to a private hospital in Davangere' after paying their last respects.