CHITRADURGA: Even though he has descended from the Palegar (Royal) family that ruled the Chitradurga region, now he is facing severe financial trouble. Septuagenarian Raja P R Veerabhadra Nayak, a descendant of Dodda Veera Madakari Nayaka, is undergoing treatment at Basaveshwara Hospital. But he is unable to meet his medical expenses. The pension of Rs 7,000 for his service as a library assistant is not sufficient to meet his regular household expenses.
When Express visited the hospital, Nayak, suffering from Diabetes, Hypertension, Old Cerebrovascular Accident, sepsis and respiratory disease, is under life support and his condition is said to be stable.
His son Raja Prashurama Nayaka told Express, “As we are unable to pay the ICU bills at premier hospitals, we decided to admit him at Basaveshwara Hospital in Chitradurga, where we are getting free treatment. My father is slowly recovering”.
“Last year, I was working as a guest lecturer at a government college and received a honorarium of Rs 11,000, but this year, our services were not taken by the college citing recruitment of permanent staff. I do not have a job now and my family is depending on my father’s pension,” he added.
When asked about the government support for the treatment, he said, “Even after running from pillar to post there is no benefit and our problems are not being heard. Without any property or even an own house, our family is staying in municipal quarters in Challakere which is also under litigation. Even though our ancestors donated lands for the development of Chitradurga, today we don’t have land to construct a shelter”, he said.
Murugha Mutt seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharana recently visited Veerabhadra Nayak and said the mutt would bear the entire cost of his treatment.Nayak’s ancestors Bicchugathi Bharamanna Nayaka and Raja Veera Madakari Nayaka have done a lot for the development of the district when they ruled the region, the historian said.