Mysuru: Less than a month after the death of serial entrepreneur and Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) Founder  V.G. Siddhartha passed away, his 96-year-old father, Gangaiah Hegde, breathed his last evening. He had been admitted to Gopala Gowda Shanthaveri Memorial Hospital in city about a month ago after suffering from old-age-related health issues.

V.G. Siddhartha, who went missing on July 29, was found dead two days later. His body was found at Hoige Bazar in the Netravathi River. Siddhartha had visited his father in the hospital in that last week of July. According to Siddhartha’s relatives, the businessman had broken down looking at his father’s deteriorating health.

While the country mourned the death of V.G. Siddhartha, his ailing father didn’t know that his son was no more. It was around this time that the 96-year-old started slipping into a coma. His body was handed over to Malavika, wife of late Siddhartha who is also the daughter of former CM S.M. Krishna. 

Gangaiah Hegde was a wealthy coffee planter and was a highly-revered person in Chikkamagalur district. He was known for his discipline, benevolence and ‘no-nonsense’ attitude. Locals from his village reminisce how he used to visit the weekly markets of Chikkamagalur himself to buy groceries till a few years back.

Staying true to the family’s coffee-related heritage of over 130 years, reports say that Gangaiah Hegde started out as a coffee planter at an estate in Chikkamagalur. He quickly turned it into a successful business and was revered in the local community.

Siddhartha had taken over their traditional coffee business from his father. It was Gangaiah who had loaned him some money to start his Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) venture from scratch. The Coffee Day Group has interests in coffee retailing, logistics, technology parks (SEZ and STP scheme), financial services and investments in technology and software companies. 

Hedge’s body has been taken to Chikkamagalur where his mortal remains will be kept at the Chethanahalli Estate for public to pay their last respects. The mortal remains will be cremated today at the same place where his son was cremated.