Mysuru: Recalling a childhood incident, Dr. Hampana said, “Wrestling has always held a special place among Dasara’s traditional practices. It’s vital that such traditional sports continue to be encouraged. In the past, wrestling schools (Garadi Manes) were common across the State.”

He reminisced about 1948 when he was a 6th-grade student in Mandya. “At the time, Mysuru’s famous wrestler, Ustad Tiger Ramu, was very popular. Inspired by him, I started visiting a wrestling school, hoping to become a wrestler. I had curly hair back then, but Ustad Kalappa from the school pointed out that my form with curl hair wasn’t proper,” he recalled.

“I shaved my head and returned home, where my uncle scolded me, calling it inauspicious while my father was still alive. He forbade me from returning to the wrestling school. I sometimes wonder if a great wrestler was lost due to that incident,” he said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

At the end of his speech, Dr. Hampana became emotional as he recalled how much he misses his wife, Dr. Kamala Hampana, who passed away in June this year. Known for her contributions to Jain literature, she was also an advocate for women’s and Dalit Movements. “We spent decades together and her loss is deeply painful,” he said, dedicating his Dasara inauguration to her memory.

Advocates peace, compassion, unity

Commending CM Siddaramaiah and Dy.CM D.K. Shivakumar for their resilience in the face of adversity, Dr. Hampana emphasised that life is an arena where one must stand firm.

“Gentleness is not weakness; everyone must have the strength to face challenges. I pray that the leaders of the Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine conflicts show compassion and end the killing of innocents,” he stated.

He urged, “Grant wisdom to parents to stop female infanticide. It’s disheartening to see indifference from deities while the powerful oppress the weak. The obstruction of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament is lamentable, and it’s shocking that girls are still threatened for attending school.”

“Unemployment is a pressing issue causing despair among youth. Those who preserve Karnataka’s land, language and culture are not criminals; they must be treated with respect,” he added.

Concluding, he said, “We must prevent plots to topple democratically elected institutions. Burdening citizens with repeated elections is excessive; no political party can remain in power forever. I also pray for an end to the trend of mutual accusations and personal insults in the media, inspiring society to focus on nation-building through productive and progressive thoughts.”