HD KOTE (MYSURU): “I never thought that my son would die in a natural disaster,” said grieving Sarvamanagala, mother of Siachen martyr Mahesha.
Sepoy Mahesha was the only breadwinner for 13-member family, including his widow mother, 75-year-old grandmother, aunts and sister.
The family members have been watching TV and attending to phone calls to know about weather condition in Siachen for the past many days.
Villagers, political leaders, officials and seers visited the house, share their grief and now, all are waiting for the body of their ‘proud son’ Mahesha.
“It is unfortunate that god kept me alive to see the tragic end of my grandson,” said Gowramma, Mahesha’s grandmother.
Recalling his childhood days, she said Mahesha who completed his schooling in Bettadapura in Periyapatna taluk, had walked 10 miles a day to reach his school as he didn’t have money to pay bus fare. He completed SSLC with good marks, she remembered.
Since Nagraju, father of Mahesha, was an alcoholic, he moved from H D Kote to Bettadapura, said mother Sarvamangala.
“After he was posted in Siachen for the first time, he called me and other family members as he would not be able to speak with us for a long time,” said his sister Sangeetha.
The family plans to ask the district administration to allot them a land in H D Kote to build a memorial for Mahesha.
They want Mahesha to be a source of inspiration for the youth who want to join Armed forces in the most backward taluk.
Thanking the people for consoling them in their hour of crisis, she said Mahesha’s funeral will take place in Pashupathi village in K R Nagar taluk at 10 am on Tuesday.