By Shodhan Prasad

Dubai, Oct 18: The government of UAE commemorating the 50th National Day jubilee celebration have come up with recognizing professionals as well as great talents in the UAE and honouring them with 10 years Golden Visa. One of the first, for the contribution in the field of art and culture, was bestowed to B K Ganesh Rai, a creative artist-cum-sculptor. UAE is the one and the only country in the world honouring its residents with such dignity.

Ganesh Rai is serving in the UAE for the past two decades working as a creative director of art, creating his own creativity with computer digital platforms, designing various advertisements, bill boards, displays, backdrops, logos, web designs and additionally as a sculptor had created various statues for very many community organisations both in UAE and India his home town.

Born in Mercara (Coorg District) which is known as Kashmir of Karnataka, Ganesh Rai is well known as multi-talented personality whose creativity has no barrier. A committed artist, Ganesh Rai is also an orator, organiser, community head, leader, teacher, painter, writer, journalist who keeps continuing his ‘Service to the Community’ including blood donation campaigns in the UAE with 24x7 service tirelessly.

Some of his creations are still attracting the eyes of Dubai residents in the form of advertisement bill boards, company advertisement banners and the like which he has created for international companies in the UAE. Be it an advertisement block to be published in news paper, magazines, pamphlets or web media, Ganesh Rai is the one whom the people first think of. His magical fingers move around the mouse and keyboard of the computer and creates wonders in computer graphics which you will find always appreciated and rewarded.

His gift to his home town a ‘Goddess Cauvery Statue’ in front of the Madikeri (Mercara) Town Hall is still a long standing proof. From 1980 to 1990 he was the only one who was creating and providing various types of huge dolls specially of God’s used as a moving display decorative for the Dasara festivals in the city. For Ganapati festivals he creates several beautiful Ganapati statues including the recent one in UAE. Ganesh Rai in those days was arranging to print large portraits of Talacauvery and colourful displays in Sivakasi and get it released in Madikeri. One of his creation a huge portrait of Goddess Cauvery which was released in Madikeri town hall by Field Marshal K M Kariappa, was an event to be remembered. Some of his logo creations include logos of very many government bodies including sahitya academies, banks, co-operative societies and organisations.

A new one to include is a creation of YouTube Channel in the name of ‘Ganesh Rai Kaleidoscope’ wherein he captures and broadcasts videos relating to Arabic folklore, tourism, and traveler’s guide, Some of the things of Guinness world records along with some of the beautiful Indo-Arab relationship videos. Most of his videos are in Kannada language as a token of his love towards the mother tongue in this part of the world.

Bestowed with various Awards viz., ‘Shilpa Kala Ratna’, ‘Kala Praveena’, ‘Kalakirana’, ‘Best Teacher of Karnataka State’, Aryabhata International Award, Global Man Award, ‘KuvempuVishwamanya Award’, ‘Da Ra Bendre Award’, ‘Karnataka Kala Poshaka Award’, ‘Vishwamanya Kannadiga Award’, ‘MayuraVishwamanya Kannadiga Award’ and with very many International Awards; Ganesh Rai has been honoured with ‘Honor Certificates’ from H.E. the Indian Ambassador, Indian Consulate General, Indian Social & Cultural Centre, and many community associations of Karnataka in the UAE.

As a writer Ganesh Rai has to his credits very many write-ups and some of them to be remembered are on the well-known leaders like Field Marshal K M Kariappa’s, M Vishwesharayya’s, Abdul Kalam’s, Bhimsen Joshi’s, Atal Bihari Vajapae’s which have been read by lakhs of viewers and created history.

As a columnist his write-ups are being published in the very famous daily newspaper of Manipal ‘Udayavani’ and ‘Amrita Prakasha’ monthly magazine wherein he is the part of the Publisher.

Ganesh Rai is the honorary president of ‘NammaTulunad Trust ® Mangaluru responsible for the compiling documentations of the trust. He has also capturing latest video interviews of very famous personalities of Karnataka including of Dr D Veerendra Heggade of Shree Kshetra Dharmastala which is in the process of publishing. On October 17, he has planned to get released his video on ‘Goddess Cauvery’ titled ‘Cauvery Astakam’ which will be done by Dr Heggade worldwide.

Leading newspapers like Indian Express and other national periodicals have published interviews of Ganesh Rai in their dailies. Even some of his interviews were telecasted in various television channels and radio channels including state owned Akashavani (both Madikeri & Mangaluru), Gulf Kannada Radio, various sattelite and local channels on cable network. 

Multi-talented B K Ganesh Rai is a picture artist, sculptor, journalist, writer, orator, computer graphics expert, graphic designer, organiser, master of ceremony and moreover served as a leader of community doing community services for a long time in UAE which was minutely recognized and honoured with this Golden Visa by the government of United Arab Emirates which is worth appreciation.