We cannot be a vote bank! However Iyengars are great contributors. We have renowned entrepreneurs, authors, artists, teachers, executives, scientists, freedom fighters, social activists, politicians and in the administrative services. The list is endless! I guess the world wide web has links to many of them. Surely, mining this data and putting them together will be exciting and inspiring!
Prasan Kumar had this great idea!
His note is a good starting point! It is incredible how many of them I know personally and many are related to us! It is a small world indeed! Hoping for a lot more information about Iyengars.
Dear Nidhi, (Dec 04, 2020)
The blog you wrote on Lt Gen NS Narahari was a very good one. Quite exhaustive. You have researched well and with a lot of information.
I am giving below a list of Iyengars who have served in the Armed Forces. I myself do not have detailed information about most of them, but I have tried to give you contact details of who might be able to help you in your research and collecting information. I daresay you may not be able to get too much information on each of them as you have in the cases of Narahari and Raghunath; so I suggest you can write one single blog putting all of them together. This is only a suggestion – you are the expert. Since many of them are related to us, Lt Gen Raghu and / or Tara will be able to help out too in obtaining information or contacts.
The list is as follows :-
1. Lt Gen D Raghunath – you have already blogged on him.
2. Lt Gen NS Narahari – you have already blogged on him.
3. Major Nuggihalli Achyut AMC – My father. Anesthetist. I will provide you the information
4. Col NG Govindaraj AMC – Known as Govi in family circles. He is Raghu’s mother Saroja’s first cousin. Tara will also know him as he served in Pune for some time. He was part of the forces which liberated Goa from the Portuguese in December 1961.
5. Col RD Char AMC – Pet name Kaalu. A very good Orthopedic Surgeon in the Army. He was the son of RD Char (IAEC Mumbai). I have no contact details. Tara and her mother knew him pretty well, I think, as they were also in Pune. Tara could help you out here.
6. Col NLN Iyengar, Artillery Corps – He passed away in 2019. Wife and children in USA. I do not have any contact. He is Radhamani’s brother. Radhamani’s son Prakash in Mitrananda, Seshadripuram, should be able to help.
7. Sqn Ldr BG Prakash IAF – expired a few years back. His wife Anasuya lived in Shashi Kiran, 18th cross, Malleswaram. . He is also Tara’s cousin Usha’s husband Sundar’s brother. Sundar can also provide information.
8. Col BSIK Murthy – He is currently living near 15th cross, 9thmain road, opposite CV Raman’s house (close to MES College). In case this number does not work, try his brother-in-law Venkatesh, who lives below his flat.
9. Col BS Garudachar – Son of Dore Mama. Tara will know Dore Mama as he and Chokkanna (Tara’s dad) studied civil engineering around the same time in Mitrananda, Seshadripuram. But you can get information on Garudachar from his brother BS Govind who lives in Rajajinagar.Govind - (govindbs@hotmail.com). Don’t have cell no. 10. Flt Lt BS Gopal – was in Short Service Commission in the IAF and later switched to commercial aviation as a pilot in Indian Airlines and thereafter in Air India. Ended up as Director in Air India. Tara knows him too (Dore Mama’s son). Gopal currently lives in Mysore (recovering from covid). and his wife Anasuya , in case Gopal is unable to respond on phone. Alternately, BS Govind (ref sl. no. 9 above) can also provide Gopal’s info.
11. Sqn Ldr Ramaprasad (Ramu) IAF – killed in a crash while flying on duty long ago. He is Lt Gen Raghu’s second cousin. I have no contact details whatsoever. But Ramu’s sister Usha Srinivasan lives in a house at 17th cross, 6th main, Malleswaram. Either Raghu can get you her number or Prakash (Mitrananda) can do so. Prakash’s sister Nalini is married to Srinivasan’s brother.
12. Sqn Ldr Srinivas IAF – He is the husband of Leela, first cousin of Lt Gen Raghu. I have no contact details whatsoever. Raghu is our only hope.
13. Wg Cdr (or Sqn Ldr) Narasimhan IAF – He was a lawyer and was in the legal
services dept of the IAF. For details, please contact SY Keshavan who lives in CHAMPAKA, 4thmain, close to 17th cross, Malleswaram. Late Narasimhan is Keshavan’s father’s sister Neela’s husband. Alternately, you can even contact Kesari (NG Ayyangar’s son). Narasimhan is Kesari’s mother Sharada’s own brother. You already have Kesari’s details with you.
14. Cdr CD Srinath – Navy. Lives in Goa.
The above are the only Iyengars I know who were in the Armed Forces. This list may only be the tip of the iceberg and there may be many more whom I / we do not know. But this list could be a good start. I know there is a lot of work for you even to get their near and dear to write something for your blog. Anyway, all the best.
While on the subject – you wrote a nice blog on MEI recently. Similarly, there is an educational institution – CR Iyengar Polytechnic in Rajajinagar, worthy of being a subject of one of your blogs. Keshavan I have referred to in sl.no. 13 above is CR Iyengar’s grandson. Likewise Garudachar (sl.no.9) and Gopal (sl.no.10) and their brother Govind, are also CR Iyengar’s grandsons, cousins of Keshavan. You may like to think over.
I will send you something about my dad shortly.
Cheers to Tara and you,
Prasan.
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FB seems to be the best way to reach our people. We have two separate pages for Hebbar Iyengars, Original and Karnataka. I have made the following request in both:
A request. Many of us do not know much about our ancestors for many reasons.
I have blogged about three Lt. Generals and a (war) Veteran Major.
There were suggestions to write about many more notable Hebbars. Not just services, but other areas as well. Please give us links to as many persons as you can. It will be nice if there are personal anecdotes. Brief meetings and so on. You can also mail dsrinidhi123@gmail.com.
Links to the blogs on notable iyengars !
This one is closer to my heart.
N.S.Ramakanth's continued efforts to reduce garbage:
Meenakshi & Bharath inspire eco-friendly wedding:
Very Proud of young Anil Srivatsa helping migrant workers :
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