Donald Sams, a 91-year-old resident of Sydney, Australia, had a deep love for India, which led him to make a special request in his will. He wished to be buried in an Indian Christian cemetery after his death, and his love for India was evident throughout his life.
On his 12th visit to India, Sams, along with a 42-member Australian team, was travelling from Sultan Ganj to Patna via a cruise on the Ganges River. During the journey, Sams fell ill and was taken to a private hospital, the National Hospital in Munger, where doctors declared him dead. The district administration informed the Indian officials of his death. Following approval from the Australian Embassy and his wife, Alice Sams, it was decided to bury him in Munger itself.
With the permission of the Australian Embassy and at the request of his wife, a priest was arranged to conduct the funeral according to Christian rites, and the body was not autopsied. The final rites took place in the Christian cemetery at Churamba, where Donald Sams was laid to rest with full Christian customs.
Munger District Magistrate Avnish Kumar Singh confirmed that the funeral arrangements were made under the embassy’s direction.
“The funeral was held without a post-mortem as per the wishes of his wife, Alice. The cruise ship carrying the dead body anchored at Babua Ghat from Friday night until Saturday afternoon,” said the Munger District Magistrate.
Donald Sams was a retired officer from the Australian high command. His wife Alice shared that his father had worked in Assam during the British rule. As a tribute to his father, Donald Sams would visit Assam whenever he travelled to India. This trip marked his 12th visit to the country. Throughout all his visits, Sams followed a tradition of travelling from Kolkata to Patna via the Ganges. His deep connection to India was so strong that in his will, he requested that his last rites be performed in India. And, as per his wishes, his final resting place is in India.