Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 12: ‘Bolpu – A Dawn of Opportunities’, an initiative by MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, was officially launched at Hotel Ocean Pearl on Saturday, July 12.
Bolpu aims to fund and foster aspiring entrepreneurs, ushering in a new era of business-led growth that has long defined the region.
Speaking at the event, MP Capt Brijesh Chowta said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the initiative and shown a clear vision for Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat. It has now been one year since I took office as a Member of Parliament, and during this time, I was keen to prepare a task sheet aligned with the vision of Nava Yuga Nava Patha (New Era, New Path). Our focus must be on reigniting the spirit of entrepreneurship—something that is not new to us, but needs to be revitalized and renewed.”
He added, “I always wanted to be part of the transformative process when I returned to my ooru (native place) after serving in the Army. People saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a beacon of hope—someone who could bring real change through his governance.
“Entrepreneurship is all about struggle. Unfortunately, many second-generation individuals discontinue their family businesses, choosing instead to study in Bengaluru and pursue tech jobs. This shift highlights the need to reignite pride in entrepreneurship and create an ecosystem that supports it,” he said.
Capt Chowta also highlighted a major step towards agricultural diversification through the planting of 30,000 coffee saplings in the district. Reflecting on the impact of Yellow Leaf Disease affecting arecanut crops, he stated, “I raised concerns about yellow leaf disease with the relevant authorities. Once this disease affects a plantation, it is no longer viable to grow arecanut in the same land. Therefore, I requested the horticulture department to test the soil’s suitability for coffee cultivation. Their scientific report confirmed the soil is indeed appropriate for coffee.”
Following this, a proposal was made to plant 30,000 coffee saplings across the district. “This initiative must be taken up on a larger scale. We have already discussed it with the Coffee Board, and training sessions have been organized for farmers,” he added.
Chowta also acknowledged the significant contributions of CAMPCO in the region.
“In Bolpu, we are encouraging new ideas and nudging people to take up scalable and sustainable ventures. We are also empowering women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Plans are underway to support local women in cultivating exotic vegetables and fruits, which are in growing demand. The aim is to connect women to markets and build strong, inclusive networks,” he said.
Looking ahead, Chowta shared his vision for fostering entrepreneurship in Mangaluru and said, “In the next five years, we aim to create 10 successful ventures from Mangaluru and grow that number to 50. These stories need to be shared far and wide. Too often, our district is known for the wrong reasons, while there are so many positive stories that deserve attention. Why cannot we build a home-grown Infosys or TCS here? We have the skills and the resources. This district holds tremendous potential and already has models that can be replicated.”
He further stated, “Through Bolpu, we are acting as a bridge between banks and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start industries. We need to build a strong, supportive ecosystem. Mangaluru can truly be the start-up capital in every sense. We are already a hub for banking, hospitality, healthcare, education, and more. I envision Mangaluru becoming the Bolpu of Karnataka.”
The event was attended by Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath, former minister Nagaraj Shetty, additional deputy commissioner Santhosh, and other dignitaries.