DHARWAD:Despite having no connection with the defence forces, he is nicknamed as ‘Military Man’ just because of his devotion towards the security personal who laid down their lives to secure the borders of the nation.
Despite his busy business schedule, he daily cleans the ‘Kargil Stupa’, a memorial erected in memory of the soldiers who laid down their lives in defence of the country, near the DC’s office here.
Chandrashekar S Amingad (74) wanted to join the Indian Army in his younger days. Though he made several attempts in this regard, the selection agencies found him physically ‘unfit’.
Despite failed attempts, his passion towards the military forces did not dry up. He kept on working for the welfare of the solders and their families in his capacity as a businessman.
After the Indian forces won the Kargil war in 1999, a memorial was built in the central point of the district’s administrative building. Amingad was one among those who were instrumental in building such a structure to pay homage to the martyred solders.For the past 17 years, he has been walking to the Stupa every day and cleaning the entire premises, besides spending some time there by doing yoga and other exercises.
Amingad told Express: “After the Kargil war, I along with some like-minded people celebrated the Kargil Vijay Diwas at Kala Bhavan and there we formed the Uttara Karnataka Sainika Kalyana Samiti. Through the Samiti, we demanded space to construct a memorial for the martyred soldiers. In 2000, this Stupa, which symbolises India’s victory over the Pakistan forces, was constructed with the help of the government.”
He recalled that in the last 17 years, there were hardly 20 days when he might have not visited the Stupa due to ill health or being out of station. “Once he returns in the night, his first duty is to visit the stupa no matter how late it be,” he said, and lauded Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) commissioner Siddalingayya Hiremath for painting the memorial.
