Madikeri: The valour of the late General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya and his contribution to the nation was gratefully remembered in his hometown on the occasion of his 109th birth anniversary.
His lifesize statue at the General Thimayya circle was garlanded. Leading the gathering were Air Marshal K C Cariappa, K C Subbaiah, president of Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, secretary Ulliada M Poovaiah, convener Major Biddanda M Nanjappa, office-bearers Col Appaiah and Nellamakkada Shambhu, Madikeri Kodava Samaj president Movera Shambhu Subbaiah, Madetira Belliappa, Manajur Manjunath of the department of Kannada and culture, General Public School principal Saraswati and others.
Major Biddanda Nanjappa exhorted the younger generation to join the armed forces and emerge as “Generals’, imbibing inspiration from the two great sons of Kodagu. He also expressed displeasure that although a plan to convert General Thimayya’s residence ‘Sunnyside’ into a museum had been afoot for over ten years, not much progress had been made.
Earlier, those present converged at ‘Sunnyside’ premises and offered their tribute to the late General. Air Marshal Cariappa recalled the gallantry displayed by the late General in various operations across the country and also abroad.
General Thimayya had resigned from the Indian Army in protest against the trifurcaton of the armed forces. Thereafter he had been posted to Nicosia to head the UN peace-keeping forces. He died in Cyprus during his posting there in 1965.
