Tribute to Mangalore Air Crash Victims - Dr.Satyanarayana and Sujatha
by B G Mohandas
Dubai, May 31: I was at the heady heights of Kollur early in the morning on the ill fated day of Saturday 22nd May, when the news of Air India Express Crash was flashed to me by my Press friends from Mangalore & Udupi.
Yes, I was in the middle of a short holiday to my native place Bijoor to attend my last brother’s wedding. It was supposed to be trip of great celebration but the news came out of the blue and I was awakened by my spiritual sense of belief to a rude shock of disbelief. What was even more concerning was that we the family have traveled earlier by the same carrier just few days back and my wife & daughter flew back to Dubai just 19 hrs earlier on Friday.
Like most of us, the first thing I did was to scramble around to search for information to find the whereabouts of our near & dear ones back in the Emirates and gather information on who traveled on the ill-fated flight.
It was Daijiworld’s list of passengers which revealed the identity of passengers and among many whom I may have known one name stuck the chord - Dr.Satyanaryana Ballakuraya.
Like everyone one who lost their life has left behind a painful story to be narrated, here is a brief about the humanitarian Doctor who practiced Medicine in Fujairah for the last 17 years….
It is learnt that the Dr.Satya couple were traveling to Mangalore to celebrate their 25th year of their wedding with a special Pooja, but as fate transpired, God snatched away their lives together in one deadly swift stroke.
Gulf veteran Mr.B.P.Kedilaya who is now settled in the USA & Bangalore says “Its shocking to learn that Dr.Satya is no more. He was humble and was well loved by his patients. Dr. Satya's wife is the sister of my family friend Vishala Bhat (who has now settled down at Udupi)”
Dr.Satyanarayana is an Alumni of Manipal University having graduated from KMC Mangalore in the year 1978 further completed his MS in the year 1984.
He practiced in India for a few years and then went on to Libya for another few years before landing in the Emirates. Till the ill-fated day he was in-charge of National Medical Centre, Fujairah for the last 13 years. In his initial stint he practiced at Al Hashmi Medical Centre, Khor Fakkan for 3 years.
Dr.Satya & his wife Sujatha Rao are blessed with two children - a daughter and son. Their daughter is working in Washington in a software company and son is a 2nd year of Engineering at MIT Manipal.
CONDOLENCES POUR IN
Both the Medical Centres were closed on 22nd May as a mark of respect to Dr. Sathya's sad demise. A condolence meeting was held on his remembrance on the same day in Indian Social Club, Fujairah at 8pm.
In the words of Dr.Mark Rao the Managing Director of both the Medical Centers ‘The response to the condolence meeting was phenomenal and over 500 people turned up to pay their last respects to the doctor and his wife. It shows the love, respect and regards they have for Dr. Sathya. Many people came forward and spoke to share their good and wonderful thoughts about doctor & his wife and prayed to God to give their children Shilpa & Suraj enough courage and strength to face & overcome this untimely tragedy. The entire Indian Community around here have been shocked with this tragedy and are yet to come to terms that Dr. Sathya will not be returning here”.
Yes… the Medical fraternity may have has lost one of their most enterprising and compassionate Doctor who was loved by one & all for his simplicity and dedication to his profession, but Satya will remain in our hearts for years to come.
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