Shiva Rajkumar declares himself cancer-free after successful surgery
Bengaluru: Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has announced that he is cancer-free following a successful surgery at the Miami Cancer Institute (MCI) in the United States. The actor underwent treatment for bladder cancer on December 24, 2024. Sharing the news in an Instagram video, he expressed gratitude to his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and support.
In the video, Geetha Shiva Rajkumar, his wife, stated, "Because of your prayers, all of Dr Shiva Rajkumar’s reports have turned negative. Even the pathology reports are negative, and he is now officially cancer-free."
The actor also opened up about his journey, acknowledging the emotional challenges he faced. Speaking about the days leading up to his surgery, he said, “I was a little emotional while leaving for the US, but my fans, family, and friends instilled courage in me.”
Shiva Rajkumar revealed that he continued working during his treatment, including shooting the climax sequence of his upcoming film, 45, while undergoing chemotherapy. Despite his health struggles, he promoted his last release, Bhairathi Ranagal, which hit the screens on November 15, 2024.
Expressing deep gratitude to his wife Geetha and daughter Niveditha for their unwavering support, the actor remarked, “Without Geetha, there is no Shivanna.” He also thanked his medical team for their care throughout the process.
Clarifying the nature of his surgery, Shiva Rajkumar said, “It was not a kidney transplant but the removal of the urinary bladder with an artificial replacement.” He explained that the decision to withhold detailed information earlier was to avoid causing worry.
The actor is set to return to work gradually, with doctors advising him to resume full-fledged activities from March. “I’ll be back with twice the energy. With your blessings, I’ll always be full of power,” he assured fans.
Shiva Rajkumar is currently working on multiple projects, including Uttarakaanda, 45, Bhairavana Kone Paata, and Ram Charan’s RC 16. He is expected to return to India on January 26.
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$20,000 diamond from Narendra Modi tops Biden family's 2023 gift list
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gift of a 7.5-carat lab-grown diamond, valued at $20,000 (approximately ₹17 lakh), was the most expensive gift received by the Biden family in 2023, according to an annual disclosure by the US State Department. The diamond, encased in a Kashmiri papier-mâché box, was presented to First Lady Jill Biden during Modi's visit to the US in June 2023. It now resides in the White House East Wing for official use.
In the same visit, Modi also gifted President Joe Biden a carved sandalwood box, a book titled The Ten Principal Upanishads, a statue, and an oil lamp worth a combined $6,232. Additionally, in November 2022, he had presented Biden with a painting valued at $1,000.
Other notable gifts from the Indian government include a $850 wall hanging presented to Kurt Campbell, US Deputy Secretary of State, and latticework and camel bone boxes worth $125 each to Senators Mitch McConnell and Charles Schumer.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval gifted his American counterpart Jacob Sullivan a $485 silver jaguar statue and a $638 wooden elephant structure in January and July 2023, respectively. Meanwhile, Deputy NSA Rajinder Khanna gifted items such as a silver elephant sculpture worth $3,980 and a $515 silver candlestick set to US officials.
Under US law, foreign gifts exceeding $480 in value must be declared and typically transferred to the National Archives or used for official purposes. Most high-value items from India were retained for White House use, while others were archived.
