Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paid his last respects to his sister, Chikkamma (78), who passed away at her Devegowdanahundi village on Saturday. Ms Chikkamma breathed her last at the Apollo Hospital here. Several years older to Mr Siddaramaiah, she leaves behind four children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. The Chief Minister, who is said to have borne his sister’s hospital expenses, attended her funeral with his wife, Parvathi and son, Dr S Yatindra, brothers Siddegowda and Ramanna and others. Chikkamma was later cremated at her farm. With her death Mr Siddaramaiah has lost three siblings. He recalled on the occasion that he had five siblings in all, Putramamma, Thammayyanna, Chikkamma, Siddegowda and Ramanna. Putramamma and Thammayyanna died a while ago. “I last visited my sister the day after Dasara in hospital. Ours was a joint family. Although she was married and her home was in Devegowdanahundi, she remained with us in our village, Siddaramanahundi, till her six children grew up. She was seven or eight years older to me. The bonding and affection we shared was quite natural for a brother and sister,” he said. Going by Mr Ramanna, Mr Siddaramaiah’s neighbour in Siddaramanahundi, Chikkamma was very happy when her brother became Chief Minister.
