Karnataka - Madikeri   

Forgotten monument of a brave officer

By Our Staff Correspondent

This was once Gen. K.S. Thimmaiah's house.

MADIKERI, JAN. 25. Soldiers from Kodagu have done the country proud. But one name that strikes the mind is that of General K.S. Thimmaiah, whose contribution to the nation and world peace is exemplary.

"Sunny Side," the mansion that once belonged to General Thimmaiah, is now the office of the Regional Transport Authority. The 2.06-acre area was purchased by the Transport Department on January 1, 1972, from the wife of General Thimmaiah for Rs. 2,03,320. The land is in the Madikeri City Municipal Council limits.

Not many thought of the idea of converting it into a memorial until former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily wrote to the Government in 2003 in this regard.

Surprisingly, not many in Kodagu spoke in favour of the idea even after Mr. Moily expressed his desire to convert "Sunny Side" into a memorial. The Kannada and Culture Minister, Rani Satish, responding to Mr. Moily's letter on January 20, 2004, asked the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner to look into the matter. More than a year has lapsed since then, but no one seems to have taken up the issue seriously.

The Regional Transport Officer (RTO) wrote to the Transport Commissioner on March 6 last year after the Deputy Commissioner sought a clarification from him in this regard. Nothing more seems to have happened since then.

The RTO, H.N. Ramesh, says that he has no problem in vacating to a new place if his department is asked by the Government to do so.

"I will do anything to honour the memory of General Thimmaiah," B.C. Nanda, retired Lieutenant-General, told The Hindu . Whether it was army action against Pakistani infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir or its heroic deeds in Cyprus, his works are exemplary, Lt. Gen. Nanda says.

Except a statue installed at Chikpet, there are few things to remind the people of Kodagu of General Thimmaiah. Also, not much is known about the activities of the academy of adventure sports named after General Thimmaiah. Will the Government take steps to respect the brave soldier's memory to highlight the "Sunny Side" of history?

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