Mysuru- Dharmasthala Dharamdhiri Dr. Veerendra Heggade  inaugurated the newly constructed Asha Prakash Shetty Bunts Convention Hall in city this morning.

Earlier, Dr. Veerendra Heggade was brought to podium with a rousing ‘Purnakumbha’ reception. They also offered ‘Gowrava Samarpane’ to Dr. Heggade by playing ‘Tulunada Geethe.’

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Heggade appreciated the hardwork and dedication of Bunts community people. “They have constituted their own associations, built their own community hall wherever they had settled for business purpose in many towns and cities, both inside and outside the country. They have also contributed immensely for welfare of the local people apart from carrying out their profession without harming others. The other speciality of the Bunts community people  is that they acclimatise with local language, beliefs and traditions apart from protecting their nativity,” said Dr. Veerendra Heggade.

He also recalled that he often used to visit Mysuru since his childhood days. He said that Mysuru emerged as cultural capital of Karnataka besides drawing world attention because of ‘Naada Habba’ Dasara festivities and contributions of erstwhile Maharajas of Mysuru.

The city has also been making news for business and concentration of industries from last 25 years, he said.

State Higher Education and District Minister G.T. Devegowda, who was one of the chief guests on the occasion, also spoke. He remembered the contributions of Bunts in the field of folklore arts like Yakshagana, Chande-Maddale, literature, education, politics apart from business.

Felicitation

Chairman of MRG Groups K. Prakash Shetty and Chairman of MCI Groups of Institutions T. Prabhakar Shetty were honoured for their financial contributions.

The other donors and patrons were also felicitated on the occasion such as Chairman of RNS Groups of Institutions Dr. R.N. Shetty, Chairman of NMC, Abu Dhabi Padma Shri Dr. B.R. Shetty,  Vice-Chancellor of Nitte University Dr. N. Vinaya Hegde, Chairman of Allcargo Logistics – Mumbai Dr. Shashi Kiran Shetty, Mysureans like K. Ganesh Narayan Hegde, K.H. Sarvotham Shetty, Naryaguttu Shivaprasad Mada,  K. Prakash Shetty, CA Surendra Hegde, K. Subramanya Rai, Y.V. Satish Shetty, P. Suresh Alwa and Nandyappa Shetty.

Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh, former Minister B. Ramanath Rai, former MLA Vasu, Federation of Worlds Bunts Association President Aikala Harish Shetty, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) President Sudhakar S. Shetty, Mysuru Bunts Association President T. Prabhakar Shetty and others were present.

Sooji Mallige: The cynosure of all eyes at the programme was ‘Sooji Mallige’ worn by almost all the women who took part in the inaugural function. ‘Sooji Mallige ‘ is a variety of Jasmine widely grown in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi which is considered as traditional flower of Coastal belt of the State.