‘Honour our son’s sacrifice’

Months after their son lost his life while serving Bihar’s flood victims, parents of the 25-year-old doctor are unhappy.  The state government is yet to confer an award on him.

Umakant and Lata Patil, parents of Mumbai-based doctor, Chandrakant said they are proud that their son sacrificed his life for a noble cause. The family is now on a visit here to pay tribute to Chandrakant, who was struck by lightning September 21 last year. He was in a relief camp for flood victims in Supaul district, about 250 km from here. “We do not want money or compensation. We only want Bihar to honour his sacrifice by announcing the state’s highest civil award to him,” Umakant said. “My son sacrificed himself but the government has failed to honour and recognise him,” Lata said.

Soon after his death, Bihar State Health Services Association Coordinator Ajay Kumar, in his eulogy said that Chandrakant deserved the highest honour. “Though no amount of money can bring back Chandrakant Patil, I will ask the state government to provide Rs50 lakh to his family in Maharashtra,” Kumar had said then. Umakant and Lata, along with their daughter Monika, recently went to the relief camp to pay their tribute to Chandrakant. A mass prayer was held in the Kataiya block. Chandrakant graduated from Pune’s BJ Medical College and was pursuing MD (a residency in preventive and social medicine) at KEM Hospital, Mumbai.