Daughters Join Father’s Funeral by Video Call After Delayed Travel Plans
An elderly man in an old-age home in Sonipat, Haryana, was cremated after his daughters—based in Nepal and across India—joined remotely through video call for a
An elderly man, Shivcharan Ram Ratan Gupta, was cremated this week in Sonipat, Haryana, after his family was unable to reach the old-age home in time for the final rites. Instead of a gathering around the pyre, three video calls connected his daughters from different locations across India and Nepal.
Gupta had spent his final months in the home for elderly people. After his wife, Meena, died, he moved to the facility and relied on phone calls to stay close to his daughters. When his health worsened, the home informed the family that his condition was serious about twenty days before his death.
Remote farewell as family said there was not enough time
Gupta died early Tuesday morning at around 3:30 AM following a long illness. After receiving the news again, the daughters were told they could still travel and say goodbye in person. The daughters were Anita, who works as a teacher in Nepal, Nisha, who lives in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Priya, who is in Mumbai. They reported that they could not make it on time.
According to the account, the old-age home arranged the funeral, with help from local residents. One of the daughters joined the video call and, during the discussion, asked how long the rites would take as family members needed time for basic daily activities. The daughters also shared costs for the last rites, with Anita sending ₹5,100 online for a “dignified farewell.” After the cremation, they asked the home to share videos of the ceremony.
Final wishes included immersion request and eye donation
Along with requesting videos to watch the ceremony again, the daughters asked that their father’s ashes be immersed in the Ganga on their behalf, citing their inability to travel. In keeping with family wishes, Gupta’s eyes were donated after his death, so that someone else could receive the gift of sight.
The case has drawn attention online for the gap between a family’s wishes and the practical limits of travel and time. It also highlights how many elderly people, even when surrounded by care inside an institution, may face a last goodbye that happens through a screen rather than in person.
