By Marina Gonsalves, Barkur
Pictures: Alwyn , Mayura Digitals, Brahmavar
Barkur, Mar 20: The first official visit, a historical event in the history of Barkur, by Honorable Chief Minister of Karnataka State H. D. Kumara Swami was a remarkable one. On Saturday, 18th March, 2006 at around 2pm. He arrived from Bangalore and was received by the former minister and current MLA, K. Jayaprakash Hedge and B. Shantharama Shetty , President, Grama Panchayath, Barkur along with the village dignitaries.
The new building, ‘Smt. Rukmini Shedthi Memorial Government First Grade College,’ Barkur was inaugurated by Honorable Chief Minister in a grand function. At the same time, 'Dr. Gabriel Fernandes College Auditorium' was also inaugurated by Basavaraj S. Horatti, Minister for Law, in the absence of Shankara Murthy, Honorable Minister for Higher Education. Dr V. S. Acharya , Minister for Medical Education and Veterinary Sciences, and the Care taker Minister of Udupi District , inaugurated the new entrance.
Jayaprakash Hegde, MLA and main supporter of the college presided over the function. Other dignitaries present were Manorama Madwaraj, Member of Parliament, Udupi, Shobha Nambishan, IAS, Chief Officer, Education Dept, Govt. of Karnataka, B. N. Shankar Poojary, President, Zilla Panchayat, Udupi; K.S Kaveriappa, Honorable Vice Chancellor, Mangalore Universiy; K. Prathap Chandra Shetty & Balakrishna Bhat, MLAs, Barkur Sudhakar Shetty, Chief Patron and the President, College Establishment Committee, Vasudha Chemicals, Mumbai, and Sudhakar Shetty. Shyamala Sudhakar, President of Taluk Panchayath, Udupi; Bujanga Shetty, Member of Zilla Panchayath, Brahmavar; Satish Poojary, Barkur, Member, Taluk Panchayath Udupi, Mr. Ramananda Shetty, President, Grama Panchayath, Hanehalli were present on this occasion as the special invitees.
B. Shantharama Shetty, M. V. Jayanthi, IAS, College Education Dept. Bangalore, V.L. Roche, President, Barkur Educational Society (Vidyabhivardhini Sangha), K. V. Kodanda Ramaiah, Director, College Education Dept., Bangalore, K. K. Nayak, Vice President, College Establishment Committee, K. Sathyanarayana Udupa, Secretary, Founding and Welcome Committee, and Dr. W. Linda Christi, Joint Director, Mangalore Zone, and C. Rajashekhar Hebbar, Principal were the other dignitaries present on the dais.
This College is unique in the history of the Govt. Colleges of Karnataka State, where facilities like land, building, furniture, equipment, or supplies etc., are to be provided locally or to be self-supported. Barkur Educational Society has already given 6 acres of land. The President of the College Establishment Committee and Patron in Chief of this College, Mr. Barkur Sudhakar Shetty has already spent Rs. 25 Lakhs for starting the College and for the construction of the building. By considering his contribution the Government has renamed the College after his mother’s name as “Smt. Rukmini Shedthi Memorial National Govt. First Grade College”.
The College building construction work is completed at a cost of Rs. 75,00,000.00 (Government Valuation). The College building is mainly sponsored by B. Sudhakar Shetty, who is the chief patron of the college, and by Dr. Gabriel Fernandes, Moodahadu village, who was the Alumni of NJC Barkur, presently working as the Head of the Department of Medicine, Department of Texas University USA, has donated the programme hall for the college. The hall is aptly named after him as “Dr. Gabriel Fernandes Auditorium". He has contributed more than $12,000.00 for the college. He has also established Village to College foundation which provides scholarship to needy students on merit for the last 8-10 years. This year alone, this foundation has distributed Rs. 64,000 for the needy students.
St. Peter’s Association (Barkur), Mumbai, a prominent association of Barkurian Catholics in Mumbai has recently contributed Rs.75,000 for the construction of a class room.
The programme kicked off with the lighting of the lamp by the Chief minister. In his inaugural address, he said, he is honoured to be in Barkur, a historical place. He praised the selfless efforts of Sudhakar Shetty, Dr. Gabriel Fernandes, K. Jayaprakash Hegde and others who were instrumental in the establishment of the college. His proposal to provide bicycles to the female high school students from the rural areas in the near future was well received by the crowd. He also added that in the future this college will be given due importance and repair work of the bridge will be expedited. Mrs and Mr. Sudhakar Shetty were felicitated by Chief Minister.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Patron of the College, Barkur Sudhakar Shetty proposed Mid-day meal programme for the college students. He put forward his proposal to the honorable chief minister and said that if the government contributes 50 per cent of the expenditure, the college would bear the balance cost.
The main attraction of the function was mind blowing Bharathanatyam performance by Nrithya Vidushi, Kumari Sushma M. Kamath, Barkur. Later Chief Minister felicitated her.
Shantharama Shetty, President , College Buliding Inauguration Committee, welcomed the gathering. Jayaprakash Hegde delivered the presidential address. K. Sathyanarayana Udupa, Secretary, Founding and Welcome Committee, was felicitated at this juncture. C. Rajashekhar Hebbar, Principal proposed the vote of thanks. Ramabhat Sajangadde with his usual impeccable style , conducted the proceedings. Over 3500 people from and around Barkur witnessed the history being written at Barkur.