Mysuru: City’s Yuvaraja College Principal Dr. H. Somashekarappa (61), passed away at a private hospital in city this morning following a heart attack. He had undergone a heart surgery 5 days ago and was shifted to his ward only this morning, when he suffered a massive heart attack and died, it is learnt.

A native of Chitradurga, he remained a bachelor. Born in 1963 at Doddasiddavvannahalli in Chitradurga, he joined Yuvaraja College as a Physics faculty in 1992. He became the College Principal in July last year and was to retire from service in 2 months. Dr. Somashekarappa, who stayed in the University Quarters at Gangothri, lived a very simple life. He had built a house in Vijayanagar and had purchased a new car a couple of years ago and parked it in front of his house. After building the house, Dr. Somashekarappa did not perform ‘Gruha Pravesha’ (House warming ceremony) nor did he stay in the new house even for a single day. His  parked car had got covered by overgrown shrubs and plants because he never used it, it is learnt.

Upon learning of Dr. Somashekarappa’s demise, hundreds of college students gathered within no time in the college premises, where his body was kept for some time and paid their last respects to their beloved Principal and teacher. His body was taken by his sister and other relatives to Chitradurga for the conduct of last rites.