Mangaluru: Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda Gallantry Award for Subedar Ekanath Shetty

Subedar Ekanath Shetty, who has been missing since the disappearance of an Indian Air Force plane in 2016, will be honoured with the Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda State Gallantry Award for his heroic deeds in the Indian Army.

The announcement was made by the Chairman of Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda Memorial Committee M B Kiran Budleguthu at a press meet held on Monday.

Subedar Ekanath Shetty, a native of Kuthar, had joined the Indian Army in 1985 and was awarded the Army Medal for his bravery during the Kargil operation. After retiring from service as a Subedar in 2009, he joined the defense department of the army and later became an NCC trainer in the Air Force.

On July 22, 2016, Shetty was on his way from Tambaram Air Base in Chennai to Port Blair, Andaman, on military duty when the aircraft he was on mysteriously disappeared. He was the only Kannadiga soldier among the 29 soldiers on board, Kiran said.

The award ceremony will be held at “Amara Sullia Freedom Struggle – Remembrance Day” program being organized by the committee on April 5 at 10.30 am at Loyola Hall of Aloysius College in the city. the program is being organized to commemorate the historical event of farmer-army of Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda removing the British flag and raising their victory flag at Bavutagudde on April 5 in the year 1837.

As part of the ceremony, the committee will unveil the statue of Kedambadi Ramayya Gowda in Bavatagudda, he added.