The children of the Adelaide-based Indian couple, who died in a road accident in India, have not been told about the death of their parents yet. They are recovering well in a hospital in Telangana.
The husband and wife were killed, and their two children seriously hurt, in a road accident in Telangana when they were on their way to their native village in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh last week.
Read: Adelaide-based Indian couple killed in Telangana
The family had travelled to India from Australia and had landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad around midnight on Tuesday. They had reportedly hired a taxi to Reddygudem. In the early hours, their car hit a retaining wall of a culvert. The NRI couple Hemam Baradar (40) and Rajitha (35) died on the spot while their two children were seriously injured, police said.
Indian communities in Adelaide and around the world have raised over 200,000 dollars to help the surviving kids.
“Both parents had vast dreams and aspirations for their children’s future. Unfortunately, both are no more. So, we hope both children get the life wished by their parents with our helping hands. This fund is raised to support the funeral expenses of the parents, medical expenses of the children and support them financially to get their house back from the mortgage. Please donate generously (sic),” the community has appealed on gofundme.
Telugu Association of South Australia Secretary Sivaji Ganesh Pathuri says both children are better now and recovering at a hospital in Telangana.
“However, we have not told them about their parents’ death yet. They only know that both their parents are receiving treatment somewhere else,” said Mr Pathuri.
Remembering Hemam Baradar and Rajitha, Mr Pathuri said they were very active in the community and always volunteered.
“Rajitha used to volunteer at a local Telugu school. Both were very gentle and kind people and always contributed in services and kind,” Mr Pathuri said.
The community gathered in Adelaide on Sunday to pay tribute to the couple. Mr Pathuri says they want to bring the children back to Australia.
“We want to bring them here and give them the facilities and education their parents had dreamed of. We shall try to get their grandparents a visa so that they can live with the kids and take care of them. Hemam and Rajitha served their community. We owe this to them,” he said.
