Siddaganga seer airlifted to Chennai; Govt to bear medical bills

Tumkuru: Shivakumara Swami, the 111-year-old pontiff of Siddaganga Mutt was airlifted to Chennai on Friday. The seer will be undergoing advanced treatment at the Dr Rela International Multispecialty hospital for his recurring liver tube infection.

He was brought from the Siddaganga Mutt, Tumakuru by road to HAL airport in Bengaluru from where he was airlifted to Chennai in a CATS air ambulance. Later he will be taken to the hospital by road through a green corridor.

A decision to airlift the seer was taken by the team of doctors who had arrived at the Mutt, on Thursday and convinced the Swamiji to undergo a permanent treatment for his liver ailment at the Chennai hospital after conducting various tests. 

On Saturday, the seer had undergone a surgery wherein stents were implanted to his liver tube at the BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals in Bengaluru and was discharged recently. However, he is frequently developing an infection with symptoms of fever ever since he underwent stent implantation for the first time in 2016. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said that the state government would bear all the medical expenses of the Swamiji. 

Speaking to presspersons at Sringeri here Kumaraswamy said, “The Swamiji is being shifted to Chennai hospital for advanced treatment as per the advise of specialist doctors. The state government will bear all the medical expenses. I have instructed the chief secretary to get the update every minute and make arrangements accordingly.”

DCM Parameshwar and caretaker of Swamiji, Mallaradhya accompanied the Swamiji in the air ambulance.