Mysuru: Kodagu Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association, Mysore East, conducted its Annual General Body Meeting at Chamundeshwari Convention Hall, Bannur Road, recently. 

C.L. Anand, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar District and Singri Gowda, a Social Worker, were the chief guests. 

President of the Association and an Army Veteran Kanjithanda Aiyappa, informed the members that the efforts of the Association are on to get a Civic Amenity (CA) site allotted to the Association through Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to build a multipurpose community hall for the welfare of ex-servicemen and their family members.

Anand, who is also an Ex-serviceman, urged the ex-servicemen to provide good education to their children and motivate them to take-up challenging careers in Armed Forces which would make them lead a disciplined life besides serving the nation. 

Anand also lauded the efforts of Mandetira N. Subramani of VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust for his proposal submitted to Mysuru District Administration  in the year 2000 to build a War Memorial and to name the Sainik Aram Ghar at Mysuru after Sqn. Ldr. Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya, MVC (Posthumous) when no armed forces personnel from Mysuru region has thought of the same. He also informed that he has gone through all the records pertaining to the War Memorial proposal while he was serving as Assistant Commissioner in Mysuru a couple of years ago and pursued it in his official capacity.

Another guest Singri Gowda, who is also the owner of Chamundeshwari Convention Hall, said that combatant armed forces soldiers are remembered only during the time of war and natural calamities. He further said that every citizen of our country should contribute in whichever way possible towards the welfare of ex-servicemen. 

He assured the Association that he would provide the Convention Hall free of cost perpetually as a goodwill gesture for conducting the Association’s AGM and Annual Get-Together.

Mandetira Subramani, who is also the Honorary Legal Advisor of the Association, claimed that the land for construction of a Grand War Memorial was earmarked during the year 2000  itself as per his proposal in the vacant land in front of NCC Group Headquarters, Mysuru, by the then Deputy Commissioner Dr. B. Basavaraju. 

He regretted that the War Memorial is yet to see the light of the day despite a lapse of nearly two decades except for some news appearing once in a while. 

Subramani, who is also a Retired Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of Indian Air Force, said that many ex-servicemen are of the opinion that the historical city of Mysuru is incomplete without a War Memorial.

 He assured the members that he would pursue the subject with the District Administration through his VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust and support of the ex-servicemen, senior retired armed forces officers and the general public. 

Appachangada Motaiah, Secretary of the Association, welcomed. Joint Secretary, Ex-Subedar C.K. Basappa proposed a vote of thanks.