Bangalore: V S Acharya’s final moments

The Hindu

Bangalore, 15 Feb 2012: No one would have thought that a State-level seminar of government college principals would be the last programme that Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya would attend. Though the Minister was late, having kept the organisers of the seminar on “Reflection on Constructive Policies under XI Plan Period” waiting, shock and disbelief prevailed soon after news trickled in that Dr. Acharya had passed away.

 

Minister V.S. Acharya at the inauguration of seminar on ‘Reflection on constructive policies under XI Plan period”, Directorate of Collegiate Education V.Kamalamma, at Rajaramanna Auditorium, Government Science College premises which was organised by Karnataka State Government College Principal’s Forum in Bangalore on 14th February 2012.

 

This is how the Minister spent his final moments: The seminar, organised by the Karnataka State Government College Principals’ Forum at the Government Science College (GSC) here on Tuesday, was to begin at 10.30 a.m. At 11 a.m., presspersons were informed that Acharya had just landed at the airport from Mangalore and was expected to reach the venue at 12.30 p.m. At about 12.40 p.m., he arrived at the venue straight from the airport, and went to the restroom first.

 

When he started walking towards the auditorium at 12.45 p.m., reporters asked him whether he would take some questions before inaugurating the seminar. “They (those attending the seminar) have waited for a long time for me. I will attend the function and get back to you later,” he said politely.

 

As he walked towards the auditorium from the restroom, joined by some of the organisers of the seminar and his staff members, the attendees arose and greeted him. He reciprocated.

 

Acharya slowly walked towards the dais through the centre of the auditorium. Barely a few metres away from the podium, his knees buckled. When one of the organisers suggested that he sit down on the nearest chair, he said, “No I will sit over there (on the stage),” apparently his last words.

 

The Minister managed to reach the stage with some support. However, he could not climb onto the dais, as he collapsed. Those who had prevented him from falling down helped him onto a chair on the stage. As there was a hint of consciousness, someone tried feeding him tea but it ended up spilling on his all-white clothes.

 

By then, a crowd gathered around him. While some of his staff members tried reviving him by removing his shoes and socks and rubbing his palms and feet, others were removing the tea stains from his clothes. Chaos prevailed around the unconscious Minister as suggestions flew around the room. “Give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” said someone, while another shouted, “Move away from him and allow some air.”

 

Meanwhile, some people arranged two tables near where the Minister was seated to make him lie down on it. Two shawls were spread on the tables and Acharya lay down on them. In the midst of the confusion, someone was overheard calling for an ambulance. But the Minister’s staff, who realised that Acharya was not responding to any help, decided to take him to the hospital in his car.

 

The unconscious Minister was carried to his car from where he was taken to the Mallige Medical Centre at 1.05 p.m.