Lt Col K T Bopaya

Lt Col K T Bopaya (dob: 23.12.1925 dod: 22.11.2010) joined the First Post War (1939-1945) Regular Course at the Indian Military Academy in Feb 1946 and was commissioned on 22 Dec 1946 along with five other officers who joined the Corps of Signals. One of them opted for Pakistan and moved away in 1947.
He joined his first unit, 19 Inf Div Sig Regt in Jun 1948 and got the feel of an active battle front of J&K. He commanded L Comn Z Sig Regt in XXXIII Corps at about the same time in 1967-69, when his course mates Lt Col MS Sodhi and Lt Col KK Poonawala were commanding the Corps Signal Regiment and 23 Inf Div Sig Regt respectively in the same area. It was quite a coincidence for three of the five officers of the First Course to be in the same formation at the same time! He was appointed Dy CAFSO at Air HQ in 1971 and moved to ATN&K Area from where he took premature retirement in 1974, due to domestic reasons and settled in Madikeri, Coorg looking after the family coffee estate. He is survived by his wife Kaveri, son, Iyappa, and family Suchitra and Zubin.
He had a very amiable and pleasant nature which endeared him to his colleagues and superiors alike. He was a fine sportsman who played every game, notably hockey, squash and tennis. Was a keen ‘shikari’. Hunting and angling were popular sports among officers of all ranks of that generation, who had a liking for the outdoor.
He will be missed by everyone who had got to know him in service.
Tel: 08272-228435
mob: 0-9448588040
Lt Gen MS Sodhi (Retd)