Mysuru: More than 13 years after the versatile Kannada actor Dr. Vishnuvardhan passed away, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will inaugurate Dr. Vishnuvardhan Memorial (Vishnu Memorial) being built at Halalu village near Udbur Gate on Mysuru-H.D.Kote road, at 11 am on Jan. 29.
Announcing this yesterday, actor Aniruddha, who is also the son-in-law of the late actor, said the Memorial has come up 13 years after Dr. Vishnuvardhan passed away in Mysuru on Dec. 30, 2009. Pointing out that CM Bommai has agreed to inaugurate the Memorial on Jan. 29, he said that District Minister S.T. Somashekar, MP Pratap Simha, Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda, Mayor Shivakumar, Dr. Vishnuvardhan’s wife Dr. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan and other dignitaries will be present.
The Memorial at Halalu village has come up on a 5-acre plot at a cost of Rs.11 crore, the bhoomi puja (foundation stone) for which was performed in Sept. 2020. The Memorial features a 20-ft tall statue of Dr. Vishnuvardhan, a cinema gallery on the films of the late actor, an auditorium, a park, an acting training centre etc. The Memorial, constructed by the Mysuru District Administration and the Departments of Information and Public Relations and Tourism, is expected to become an important tourist spot.
It may be mentioned here that Dr. Vishnuvardhan was a resident of Chamundipuram here and did his schooling in Mysuru, before moving to Bengaluru. The late actor maintained a close association with Mysuru throughout his career and many of his films were shot in and around the cultural city.
H is Sampath Kumar. That was his given name.
Well, about memorials, the Chamundipuram , where he lived , had a better resident, and more deserving one: Ta Ra Su. A brilliant and very gifted novelist. No memorials for him. He is forgotten. Other less gifted ones are all honoured.