Chamarajanagar: Chinnaswamy and K.S.Girikanye, the farmer couple of Vaddagere village in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarjanagar district, had a pleasant surprise when they were informed that the Central Government has invited them to participate in Republic Day (R-Day) celebrations at New Delhi on Jan.26. The couple will be one among more than 1,500 farmers who have been invited to be a part of the celebrations.

It is learnt that the invitation to farmers to take part in this year’s R-Day is in the wake of government’s decision to invite farmers who are beneficiaries of various pro-farmer policies implemented by the Central Government.

Chinnaswamy, a columnist-cum-writer in Kannada and his wife Girikanye will reach Delhi on Jan. 25 following an invitation by the Ministry of Water Resources. They will return on Jan. 28.

It may be recalled, last year B.M. Manjunath of Kollegal and his wife Pushpalatha had been invited to witness R-Day Parade in Delhi. Manjunath was invited in honour of his Kannada poem ‘Malagu Kanda…’ winning first prize in national-level contest.