TUMAKURU: The long-pending dream of this village to have a statue of a martyr, who died in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir two and half decades ago, has finally come true. A bust of Basavanna, a BSF jawan, who had lost his life on April 3, 1992, in Rajouri, J&K, has been installed on the premises of government higher primary school at Gottikere in Turuvekere taluk.
His older brother Ramakrishna who is a physical education teacher at government junior college spent some money from his pocket and also pooled money from his friends and relatives to erect the bust in ‘krishna shile’ stone. It cost him `2.45 lakh. Sculptor Arun from Mysuru carved it in 45 days. But Ramakrishna had put in a ‘great’ effort for over a decade to get the permission from school authorities and the government.
The BSF had also given its permission earlier. “One of the statues of Chandrashekar, also a martyr, was installed at Kunikenahalli village to inspire the young generation towards Indian Army. So, I had decided to do it for my loving younger brother,” he told TNIE. His brother Basavanna had served in the BSF for four years since 1988 and was unmarried. His father Eranna, now no more, and mother Rangamma had dreamed of his marriage.
He had studied B.Sc and did a certification course in physical education and was already serving as teacher at Vidyaranya College in Ammasandra town.