The last rites of former textile trader Shivcharan Ram Ratangutha were performed by an old-age home and local residents in Sonipat after his three daughters did not come to attend the funeral in person. The daughters, living in Nepal, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai, watched the ceremony through a video call instead. The incident has drawn attention to the painful circumstances surrounding the final days of a father who had spent his life working for his children’s future.

A Final Farewell Conducted at the Old-Age Home

Shivcharan had been living for nearly one and a half years at the old-age home in West Ram Nagar, Sonipat. The institution is run by the Samaj Kalyan Shiksha Samiti. His wife, Meena, had died several years earlier, and after her death Shivcharan continued to live for the sake of his daughters. He had also been suffering from a serious illness for a long period before his death.

He died in the early hours of Tuesday. As soon as the old-age home authorities confirmed his death, they informed all three of his daughters. According to the information shared by the institution, none of them arrived in Sonipat to see their father for the last time or to take part directly in the funeral rites. They informed the authorities that they would not be able to come.

With the daughters unable to attend, the institution arranged for them to watch the cremation live through a video call. The funeral was completed under the leadership of the old-age home authorities and local residents. The daughters remained on the other side of the call as the people present in Sonipat carried out the final proceedings.

Family Members Were Informed About His Failing Health

The old-age home authorities said that the daughters had been informed about the seriousness of Shivcharan’s health around 20 days before his death. Despite receiving that information, none of them came to see him or to care for him during his final period of illness. The authorities also shared that the daughters had not been prepared to speak to their father even after his condition worsened.

The account has made the circumstances more distressing because Shivcharan had reportedly devoted his life and resources to raising his children and helping them receive a good education. He worked to establish them in life, and two of his daughters are currently employed as teachers. The story therefore places a sharp contrast between the support he provided throughout their lives and the absence of his children during his final days.

The details available about the daughters’ response indicate that their participation was limited to the arrangements made remotely. Anita, one of the daughters who works as a teacher, sent Rs 5,100 online and requested that the money be used to conduct her father’s last rites. The daughters also asked the authorities to send them videos of the ceremony after it was completed.

A Funeral Witnessed Remotely

The use of a video call allowed the daughters to see the proceedings despite remaining away from Sonipat. However, it also meant that the final farewell took place without any of them physically present. The old-age home staff and local people assumed responsibility for the rituals and ensured that Shivcharan’s funeral was completed.

The incident has prompted questions about changing family relationships and the responsibilities of children toward ageing parents. The source account presents the episode as a painful example of a parent being left without the presence of his children at the time of death. It also raises a wider moral question about whether financial assistance and remote viewing can take the place of personal care and physical presence during a parent’s final days.

The circumstances are particularly striking because the authorities had reportedly attempted to keep the family informed about Shivcharan’s condition. The information about his failing health had reached the daughters before his death, yet the old-age home said that no one came to visit or assist him. After his death, the institution and members of the local community carried out the duties that the family did not perform in person.

His Eyes Were Donated After His Death

Despite the painful nature of his final farewell, Shivcharan’s story ended with an act that could help others. His eyes were donated after his death. The man whose daughters were absent from his last rites was able to give another person the possibility of sight after he was gone.

That donation has given the people of the area another way to remember him. According to the source account, local residents have paid tribute to Shivcharan, recalling the fact that he continued to bring light to others even after death. His final journey, carried out by the old-age home and the community, has consequently become both a story of family separation and a reminder of the value of helping others.