By Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mumbai (RD/CN)
 
Mumbai, Jun 9: “The Bunts community hailing from undivided Dakshina Kannda (DK) district has made Mumbai their abode owing to which there are not so many Bunts living back in their hometown.  Bunts of the metro have contributed significantly to the development of undivided DK including temple renovations and the like.  This felicitation is an effort to realize the aspirations of the electorate and the coastal people settled in the metro here by assuring them of a comfortable journey on the Mangalore–Kurla Matsyagandha Express passenger train”, said Nalin Kumar Kateel, newly-elected BJP Member of Parliament (MP) from Mangalore.
 
Kateel was speaking at the felicitation programme organized in his honour by the metro’s Bunts Sangh at their auditorium located in Kurla (West), here on Sunday June 7.

The felicitation programme coincided with the distribution of financial assistance and scholarships to talented students, as well as physically handicapped and challenged community brethren, which was organized by the education and social welfare committee of the Sangh.
 
Mangalore Sri Kshetra Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple chief priest Laxminarayana Asranna also graced the occasion.
 
Bunts Sangh president Aikala Harish Shetty presided over the programme. 
 
Kalattoor Shekar Babu Shetty, managing director, Arab Udupi Group of Restaurant, was the chief guest on the occasion.
 
Renowned entrepreneur Devdas Rai from Bangalore and Navi Mumbai businessman L R Venkatraman, as well as Mrs India 2009-Sreema Rai, were the guests of honour.
 
BJP Dakshina Kannada district committee chief secretary Srikar Prabhu, Bantwal taluk BJP leader Devdas B C Road, Rajesh Naik Polali, and Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s  mother Vrinda Krishna Rai were the specially-invited guests.
 
Bunts Sangh vice-president Shankar B Shetty, honourary secretary V K Shetty, honourary treasurer Prabhakar L Shetty, joint secretary Harish Vasu Shetty, joint treasurer Satish Shetty, women’s wing president Asha M Hegde, youth division president Goutam Shetty, education and social welfare community vice-president Mahesh S Shetty, honourary secretary Bhaskar M Shetty, convener Ratnakar Shetty M, honourary treasurer Ashok Pakkala, and others were present on the occasion.
 
The Kannada Yakshagana play ‘Kalyana Agra Puje’, was staged by the artistes of Bunts Yaksha Kala Vedike and Laxmi Ramesh, as part of the cultural programme.