Last rites of Shamanur Shivashankarappa performed with full state honours

DAVANAGERE: The last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 95, were performed at Kaleshwara Rice Mill in Davanagere, according to Veerashaiva Lingayat tradition on Monday.

The mortal remains were taken out in a procession from his residence, covering a distance of 15 kilometers, and concluded at the mill around 6 pm. Diganitaries including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, paid their respects to the departed leader.

The police department provided a gun salute, and the tricolor flag was draped over the body as a mark of respect. Shivashankarappa’s family, including his sons S S Mallikarjun, Bakkesh, and Ganesh, performed the final rites. The ceremony was attended by several spiritual leaders, including the Rambhapuri Shree, Shrishaila Peetha Swamiji and Ujjini Peetha Swamiji.

Earlier, minister S S Mallikarjun recalled that his father, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, had been seriously ill for the last 15 days. He said it was a natural progression of age-related illnesses, and his father had passed away peacefully. Mallikarjun remembered his father’s simplicity and humility, saying he had risen from humble beginnings to become a prominent figure in Karnataka politics.

He credited his father’s success to his hard work and simplicity. He also recalled his father’s involvement in the development of Davanagere district and his contributions to the community. Mallikarjun expressed gratitude to the people for their support and condolences.

Earlier in the day, the body was taken to the homes of his sons, where rituals were performed, before being brought to his residence for public viewing. Shivashankarappa’s family, including his son SS Mallikarjun, daughter-in-law Prabha Mallikarjun, and grandchildren, received condolences. The family had made arrangements for public viewing, with separate arrangements for VIPs and the general public.

Shamanur Shivashankarappa had been a prominent figure in Karnataka politics for over five decades. He had served as a minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet in 2013 and was the oldest serving MLA in the country at the time of his passing. He had won six terms as an MLA, starting from 1994.