Hunsur: M.B. Prabhu (55), noted Girijan activist and Founder of Bharatiya Girijana Shikshana Samsthe at Nagapura in Hunsur taluk, passed away here yesterday following brief illness.

He leaves behind his wife P.B. Veena, three daughters and a host of relatives and friends. His last rites were performed at Nagapura Tribal Hamlet last evening, according to family sources.

A native of Guttal village in Haveri district, Prabhu earned his Masters Degree in Social Work from Dharwad’s Karnatak University and later thought at the same University for some time. Getting inspired about the life of tribal people while reading a book, Prabhu came to Mysuru  and later went to Hunsur, which had a sizeable tribal population. Settling down at Nagapura tribal hamlet in order to work for the cause of Girijans, Prabhu married Veena, a tribal woman.

Lending a voice for tribal rights, he had untiredly worked for the cause of tribals from Kodagu, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts. Fighting for the cause of tribals, he had landed in prison for taking on the Forest Department.