Bengaluru :

Three men from Kodagu have made their heartland proud by playing a leading role in Tuesday’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Their families are happy their young and courageous sons have brought fame to their district.

Bommanda Chengappa, 76, is overjoyed that his only son, Colonel Bommanda Dheeraj Chengappa, 45, participated as a commandant of the President’s bodyguard at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. Chengappa, himself a former BSF man, says it’s a great honour for the family.”Dheeraj was selected for the Army through the UPSC. He lives New Delhi with his wife and son. Dheeraj loves Kodagu, and speaks the Kodava language, but since he spent most of his childhood in Army schools, he is more fluent in English and Hindi,”laughs Chengappa. Dheeraj graduated from Delhi University and then joined the Army. Chengappa and wife Reeta, who live on their estate in Ammathi, Virajpet taluk, say they they visited him a month ago.

Captain Balyamanda Thimmaiah, 28, son of retired colonel Balyamanda Kaverappa, led the mechanized force contingent (Bees Bahadur). Kaverappa and his wife Pushpa are proud that Thimmaiah, an alumnus of APS Delhi, COPS Gonikoppal, St Joseph’s and MS Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru, participated in the parade. The family lives in Virajpet.

Mandapanda C Thimmaiah participated in the MiG-29 flypast at the parade. His father Mandapanda Sada Chengappa, a coffee planter residing at Chermabane, said these youths are giving Kodagu its moment in the sun. His other son, MC Appaiah, is in the Air Force.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / TNN / January 27th, 2016