The 182nd commemoration day of freedom fighter and martyr Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda was jointly organised by district administration, Department of Kannada and Culture and Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial Monitoring Committee, in Madikeri on Friday.
Dignitaries paid floral tributes to the statue of Appaiah Gowda at Field Marshal Cariappa Circle. Later, a silent procession was taken out till Old Fort.
Tributes were also paid at Subedar Guddemane Appaiah Gowda memorial, where he was hanged. Women sang ‘Lavani’ songs depicting the life and achievements of Appaiah Gowda.
District Congress Committee President K K Manjunath said that Guddemane Appaiah Gowda bravely fought against the British to save the people of Kodagu.
“Nobody can change history. One should not make efforts to misinterpret history. Instead, one should lead lives with peace and cordiality,” he added.
Advocate Vidyadhar said that more and more people need to know about the greatness of Appaiah Gowda, who laid down his life during the freedom struggle.
Karnataka Arebhashe and Literary Academy President Lakshminarayana Kajegadde said that a lesson on Guddemane Appaiah Gowda should be included in school curriculum. He fought against the British even before the Sepoy Mutiny, he added.
MLA K G Bopaiah, MLC Veena Achaiah, Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar and others were present.
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