Bengaluru: Freedom fight HS Doreswamy dies at 103

BENGALURU: Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy passed away in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He was 103.
One of Karnataka's last links to the freedom struggle, Doreswamy had been an inspiration to generations of activists in the state.
Doreswamy had contracted Covid-19 infection on May 6 and was treated at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICSR) for nearly a week.
He was readmitted on May 14, with breathing difficulty and fatigue.
"The cause of death is severe valvular heart disease, heart failure, and the precipitating factors could be Covid and age,” said Dr C N Manjunath, director of SJICSR.
“He had pre existing heart disease for more than 10 years and suffered from the leakage of the left sided valve. He also had chronic obstructive lung disease, for which he was undergoing treatment in our hospital for more than a decade,” said Dr Manjunath.
Doctors recalled that Doreswamy was in their hospital more than a dozen times in the last 7-8 years, but this time he was extremely philosophical.
“He was saying, ‘Why should I occupy this bed, and let youngsters not be treated. I have lived enough, why waste medicines on me? This time he appeared to have dropped his will power to recover,” Dr Manjunath said.
Known for his active participation in the Quit India movement, Doreswamy’s activism continued even after the country became independent.
As a journalist, Doreswamy was running the nationalist newspaper ‘Pouravani’ during the British Raj.
He participated in the Unification of Karnataka movement in 1950s and also was on the forefront of the agitation during the emergency period.
He also supported the India Against Corruption movement recently. He turned a centenarian in 2018.
Speaking to TOI, activist Ravi Krishna Reddy said that Doreswamy always was his guide and a real gem of Karnataka.
“He believed in peaceful protest and that’s what I learnt from him. He was not emotional and emphasised facts while taking any decision. We need to celebrate his life,” said Reddy..