JSS secretary Vajrakumar passes away

Dharwad: Janata Shikshana Samiti secretary and vice-president of SDM Education Society, N Vajrakumar, passed away here in the early hours of Friday. He was 83, and is survived by wife Suman. Born on May 29, 1939, to Bhojarajaiah and Chandramati of Kokkarne in Dakshina Kannada, Vajrakumar did his MA in economics and served as a lecturer at MGM College, Udupi, for a short period before being sent to Dharwad by D Veerendra Heggade of Dharmasthala to manage JSS Institutes which were taken over by him in 1973. Vajrakumar served as the vice-principal and principal of JSS College and also secretary of JSS. He was also instrumental in expanding SDME Society empire by establishing engineering, dental, physiotherapy, nursing and medical colleges and hospital and also schools in Dharwad. Karnatak University had conferred honorary doctorate on Vajrakumar in 2011. The moral remains of Vajrakumar were kept at JSS Banashankari College for students, teachers, staff and public to pay last respects and later taken to Yarmal in Udupi district, his hometown, for the last rites.
Banjara Bhavan to be inaugurated today
Hubballi: Dharwad District Banjara Bhavan, built at a cost of Rs 10 crore at Navanagar here, will be inaugurated on Saturday. All-India Banjara Seva Sangh state president Pandurang R Pammar told reporters here on Friday that the inaugural event will be organised by Karnataka Tanda Development Ltd (Bengaluru) and Uttara Karnataka Sri Sevalal Banjara Hitavardhaka Sangha (Hubballi). “Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will do the honours at 11am in the presence of social welfare minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Union minister Pralhad Joshi, district minister Halappa Achar, former CM Jagadish Shettar, animal husbandry minister Prabhu Chavan, Congress chief whip Prakash Rathod, and corporation chairman P Rajeev. MLA Arvind Bellad will preside over the ceremony,” he said, adding around 10,000 Banjara people from north Karnataka districts are expected to be part of the event.
Makkala Sahitya Parishat to celebrate Teachers’ Day
Hubballi: Karnataka Rajya Makkala Sahitya Parishat (MSP) is organising Teachers’ Day-2022 on Sunday at 8.30am at Alur Venkatarao Bhavan in Dharwad. Sanjeevn Dumakanal, district president, MSP, told reporters here on Friday that the programme is being organised in association with Kannada and culture department, Karnataka Sangrama Sene, MSP (Dharwad Rural taluk unit). Awards like Balachandira, Akshara Siri, and MSP Gourava will be conferred on 86 achievers involving children, teachers, social servants and others. “Mayor Iresh Anchatageri will inaugurate the programme in the presence of AICC member Deepak Chinchore, corporator Deepa Neeralakatti, Kannada Sahitya Parishat (Dharwad district) president Lingaraj Angadi, DDPI S S Keladimath, Kannada and culture assistant director Kumar Bekkeri, Shivanand Hadapad and others,” he said. Rajeshwari Bagali, Netra Bhusanurmath, Aishwarya Tambe, Aishwarya AC and others were present.
Vidyanagar residents decry bad roads in Hubballi
Hubballi: Vidyanagar residents staged a dharna to condemn the delay in repairing roads here on Friday. Locals Kiran Hiremath, Pranesh Kulkarni, Veeresh Gokak, Ganesh Prabhakar, Raju Kapare, Sunil Mathapati, Mahesh Asangi and others said drainage water is entering houses at Jakareddi Hospital for the past 4-5 months. “We have submitted various memoranda to HDMC and elected representatives, but in vain,” they rued. They also raised slogans against the government and the elected representatives, and left BJP logos in pits filled with rainwater. Supporting their protest, Vidyanagar block Congress president Rajat Ullagaddimath said MLA Jagadish Shettar has failed in ensuring development works are completed within the stipulated time.