Mysore/Mysuru: With the granite sculpting works for Mysuru War Memorial that is coming up at the NCC Parade Grounds near old Deputy Commissioner’s Office along Mysuru-Hunsur Road going on at a brisk  pace, the construction work of the memorial is expected to be complete by September this year.

The memorial, aimed at developing patriotism and inspiring youths to join the defence forces, is coming up at the site,  thanks to the relentless efforts of ex-servicemen led by Air Veteran Mandetira N. Subramani (now late), also the President of Vekare Ex-Servicemen Trust,  who  never gave up.

The then Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Gautham and the then Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra had performed guddali puja for the construction of the memorial in July 2022. Now two years later, the project is getting completed in about three months time.

The black granite memorial is being sculpted by renowned city-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, who shot into national fame by sculpting the Balak Ram idol at Ayodhya. The tender for the memorial works was awarded to one Guraiah Nimbalgundi. The 33 cubic metre black granite stone, weighing 300 tonnes was supplied free of cost by Chamarajanagar quarry owner H.M. Puttamadaiah. Also, A. Srinath, owner of SVG Granites in Chamarajanagar, had cut this stone in accordance with the size.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner had earlier written the Statement of Case letter to the Army Southern Command seeking dispatch of war tankers, guns and other arms and ammunitions, for which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has given his consent. Once the memorial is built, the army ammunition will be dispatched to Mysuru, which will be put on display at the                                                   memorial site.

The memorial is coming up after 24 years of constant efforts. The ex-servicemen first wrote to the District Administration seeking construction of the War Memorial in Mysuru in 2000. But after being in limbo, the process started 12 years later in 2012, with the then Mysuru Assistant Commissioner C.L. Anand, himself an ex-serviceman, completing the necessary correspondence and sending a proposal to the Government through the District Administration. Now 24 years later, the befitting War Memorial is all set to come up in a couple of months.

C.L. Anand, who is now serving as Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner, said that the tender for memorial works was awarded to one Guraiah Nimbalgundi and the sculpture is being done under the leadership of Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj at a cost of Rs.10 lakh, which is funded by a donor, he said.

A park will be developed on all sides of the memorial, for which the MCC and MUDA have come forward to release Rs.1.5 crore each, he added.