How Akhilesh Yadav broke his nose in Mysore

MYSORE: Akhilesh Yadav, the latest youth icon of India, was left with a bloody nose in Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) football ground. This incident has left a mark on his trademark nose, which makes people wonder what’s wrong with it. M S Karuna, assistant professor at Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, UP, who was one year senior to Akhilesh at SJCE, said Akhilesh, who was fond of football, was hit while playing right-out position. “The ball directly hit his face while playing on SJCE ground. His nose is still not fixed. Even today his hand inadvertently reaches out to the nose whenever he remembers Mysore,” he said. Karuna said doctors had advised Akhilesh not to fix the nose fracture. SJCE vice-principal Shakib Ur Rahman, who did not remember the over 20 year-old-incident said: “I remember Akhil having hurt his nose while he was a student here. I don’t exactly remember how it happened.” Karuna who calls himself a ‘corridor friend’ of Akhilesh as they used to often meet each other in the corridors, remembers Akhilesh as a kind-hearted person. “He had an open jeep and on seeing me waiting at the bus stop always offered to drop me at my place in Vontikoppal after college,” he said. Their friendship has continued even today and they meet at least once in six months. “Whenever he comes to Bareilly, he makes it a point to meet me and the discussion mainly revolves around college days. Last time, he came was for an election campaign and despite the busy schedule, he spent about 30 minutes with me,” he said.