Who is Dr Veerendra Heggade from Karnataka and why his nomination to Rajya Sabha matters
Veerendra Heggade, philanthropist and administrator of the Dharmasthala temple in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. His nomination came alongside that of three other eminent personalities — ace music composer Ilayaraja, Olympic athlete PT Usha and screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad.
A philanthropist for more than five decades, Dr Veerendra Heggade has been instrumental in preserving and reviving the dying traditional theatre form — Yakshagana. This besides, he is known for his philanthropic contribution to the fields of health, education and rural development. His Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RDSETI) trains thousands of rural youth in self-employment opportunities.
Who is Veerendra Heggade?
73-year-old Dr Veerendra Heggade is the hereditary trustee of the famous Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy temple in Dakshina Kannada district. He is the 21st in his line to hold the position which has been passed on from father to son in his family. The interesting part here is that even though the family has been holding the hereditary position of Dharmadhikari (trustee) a Hindu temple, they of the Jain Bunt community. Veerendra Heggade belongs to the Digambara Jain.
The eldest son of Dharmadhikari Ratnavarma Heggade and Rathnamma Heggade, Veerendra was born on November 23, 1948. He comes from the Pergade dynasty of Tulu lineage.
Dr Heggade – the philanthropist
Besides being the administrator of one of the most famous temples in Karnataka, Dr Heggade is also a well-known philanthropist. For over five decades now, he has led various transformative initiatives for rural development and promotion of self-employment. He came up with the Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project, which is an initiative for rural development and self-employment in the state of Karnataka. This project now includes more than 49 lakh members. He also conducts Free Mass Marriage each year in Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala since 1972. Since April 2004, about 10,000 couples have been married under this scheme.
Dr Heggade also introduced a rural development project in the coastal area of Karnataka, which included 600 villages and six towns. Promoting solar energy and providing such facilities to many for their benefit is something he does, as well. Besides this, he runs the Annapoorna Kitchen at Dharmasthala which is one of the largest and the oldest family-run kitchens in India, feeding around 50,000 people on a daily basis.
Upholding the traditional art forms
Dr Heggade is also credited with the revival of Yakshagana, maintaining a pure traditional approach. He is a patron of art and literature, and runs the Kannada monthly magazine Manjuvani’. He has also established ‘Manjusha’ – the museum of that displays rare collections of antiques and contemporary rare and valuable artefacts. A collector of old cars, Dr Heggade has attached his vintage car collection to the museum that is accessible to all.
Recognition and Rajya Sabha nomination
His philanthropic activities were recognised by the State and the Central governments. He was awarded the Karnataka Ratna award – the highest civilian award in the state – in 2009. The Centre conferred him with the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and congratulating him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in Kannada, saying, “Shri Virendra Heggade is at the forefront of providing outstanding service to the community. I had the opportunity to offer prayers at the temple in Dharamsthala and to witness the great work done by them in the field of health, education and culture. He will certainly enrich Parliamentary proceedings.”
Responding to his nomination, Dr Heggade says, “It was an unexpected honour, since there was no effort from our side. I’m also surprised that Prime Minister has information about contributions made by people for the growth of the nation. So, he has conferred this on me, and I think it’s a great privilege to work for the nation through this office.”
He further adds that he will find time to serve the people more effectively through the position. “Every day, in spite of all this pressure, I find extra time to read and write. That means there’s still enough time left for me to utilise effectively. I will do my best. I will take a few days to understand this position and then submit activity proposals,” Heggade said, as per a Times of India report.
