Rashtrapati Bhavan sends letter to PMO

Madikeri: The Rashtrapati Bhavan has acknowledged the receipt of Congress MLC Shantheyanda Veena Achaiah’s letter addressed to the President regarding conferment of Bharat Ratna posthumously on both Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa and General Kodandera S. Thimayya. The letter has now been forwarded to Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Last month, on Feb. 6, during President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Kodagu to inaugurate General Thimayya Memorial Museum in Madikeri, Congress MLC Veena Achaiah had submitted a memorandum to the President seeking the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya.

A few days ago, in a letter addressed to MLC Veena Achaiah, Special Officer of the President’s Office Jagannath Shrinivasan has replied that the letter by the MLC has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. Veena Achaiah has thanked the President’s Office and its officials for positively responding to her letter and has expressed confidence that Bharat Ratna will conferred on both the martyrs very soon.

The demand for Bharat Ratna to Field Marshal Cariappa and General Thimayya, both of whom hail from Kodagu district, is pending for a long time before the Centre. Even former Army Chief Bipin Rawat hand endorsed the demand for Bharat Ratna to Field Marshal Cariappa. While Cariappa was the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army, General Thimayya served as the Chief of Army Staff from 1957 to 1961.