Bengaluru, Mar 20 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping retrieve the mortal remains of a medical student from the state who died during the conflict in Ukraine.

After a long wait of 21 days, Naveen Shekharappa's body is set to arrive in the country early Monday morning.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Bommai conveyed his gratitude for efforts to help retrieve Naveen's body from Kharkiv.

"The news of his mortal remains coming to India has been appreciated by everyone in Karnataka which seemed impossible," he said.

Naveen hails from Haveri district in Karnataka. He was killed on March 1 in Kharkiv and his distraught family have been beseeching the authorities to retrieve his body. However, heavy fighting in the area has prevented the retrieval till recently.

Naveen's family is waiting eagerly to take a final look at his mortal remains. The family had said that after conducting the last rites, his body would be donated to a medical college.