by Shodhan Prasad
Daijiworld Media Network
Dubai, Sep 18 : Nama Tuluveru UAE progressing on their preparation for grand 'Tuluvere Parba 2012' met in Quick Bite Restaurant, Deira, Al Muteena to discuss and follow-up on the said programme.
The meeting started at around 9 am and is being witnessed by a record number of members. As usual the meeting started with welcome by Shodhan Prasad who carried on the proceedings of the meeting starting with prayers. Committee Leaders Sudhakar Alva, Purushottam Salian, Noel Almeida, Satish Venkataramana, Prabhakar Suvarna were present on the dais.
Fr. Ravi Santosh Kamath of Fathima Retreat House, Valencia, Mangalore has agreed to be one of the Special Guests. Born in the airport city of Bajpe on October 5, 1939, Rev. Fr. Ravi Santosh Kamath completed his high school studies at the St Joseph’s College in Bajpe. He continued his studies at St Aloysius College and joined the Jesuits in 1958. Belonging to the Kuntal Kambla Pereira family from Bajpe, Fr. Santhosh comes from a large family of eight brother and four sisters. During the formation years of his priesthood, Fr Santosh rendered his services at Calicut, Bangalore, Shambagnoor in Chennai, Mangalore, Dharwad and Pune. His desire for knowledge led him to pursue his academic and college studies at Dharwad where he obtained a post graduate degree in Philosophy and Psychology.
Having a unique aptitude for languages, he went on to get a diploma in foreign languages at the Karnataka University. His thirst for knowledge however seemed veritably unquenchable. Still yearning to learn more, Fr. Santosh then enrolled for Studies in Ecclesiastical Sciences at the Gregorian University in Rome where he obtained a Doctorate in Systematic Theology and later served for 36 years at the St. Joseph’s Seminary in Mangalore. After retirement from the Seminary at the age of 65, he has been running a school of foreign languages under the title ‘French Connection’ at the Fatima Retreat House, which at present is running to full capacity. Besides French, Fr. Santosh also puts his language skills to good use by teaching Italian and Latin when required.
Padmashree Dr. B.R. Shetty also have agreed to be one of the special guests and have wished all success to 'Nama Tuluveru UAE' for their unique programme. No introduction is required as everyone from young to old knows him perfectly and so being honoured with Padmashree by the Government of India for his service to society. Brilliance Reigns...Belongingness Radiates...Blessings Rain... It is the happy combination of these factors that exhorted the young man Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty, fondly called as BR, with nothing more than a clinical degree in pharmacy to dream big and make dreams come true.
Every journey begins with a single step, one invariably filled with much anticipation and the promise of discovery...and in the year 1973; BR landed on the soil of his God destined land, which is as dear to him as his mother land now, The Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. New to the land, he knew none, had little money left and his only intention then was to secure a job that would help him repay his huge debt burden back home. He had a modest start as a medical representative, probably the first outdoor salesman in the country selling medical goods and FMCGs personally.
This according to him gave a lot of insight about the market, the country's culture, ethics, the basic customer philosophy and their unfulfilled service requirements. Always prompted by an irrepressible will to succeed in his chosen field of business that he pursued with characteristic modesty and high rectitude of conduct, today, his labour has paid back and he reigns over a business empire spread over the diverse fields of health services, financial services, trading, hospitality and many more. Today he has given over 15000 families not only livelihood, but many causes for health and cheer. Awards and accolades such as 'Order of Abu Dhabi Award', 'Pravasi Bharatiya Award', "Padmashree", "Outstanding Entrepreneur Award", "Rajyotsava Award", "Rainbow Laurel Award", Ernst & Young "Middle East Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist Award 2008", "The Lifetime Achievement Award", "Swiss Ambassador's Award", "The Arch of India Gold Award" of the NRI Institute in London, "Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award" are few of the many awards heaped and bestowed upon him in recognition of his services to mankind.
Vasanth Kumar Shetty
The team from 'Saanidhya Special Needs Residential School'
An exceptional team from "Saanidhya Special Needs Residential School" headed by Honorary Secretary Vasanth Kumar Shetty will be arriving with a group of 'Special Children' to perform Tulu Folk Dance on stage and showcase their hidden talents which will surely win the hearts of all the audience in Dubai. They have won accolades by presenting similar shows elsewhere in the world but this will be their first appearance in Dubai.
The name Saanidhya implies 'Abode of God' is a non-profit, non-commercial, social service organization started by Shree Ganesha Seva Trust for Exceptional Persons dedicated to the welfare of the Differently Abled. Established in 2003, the institute is managed by a team of committed professionals with over 15 years of experience in working with the Differently Abled. The Institute operates a residential school, the first of its kind in Mangalore, India with boys and girls with mental disability. The Institute started functioning with just 2 students in 2003, and since then it has made tremendous progress by spreading its message " We reach our goal together". Today the school has more than 90 Differently Abled students from all over coastal Karnataka.
'Saanidhya' always extends its helping hand to receive, support and take care of mild, moderate and severally challenged children in the age group of four to eighteen years, of either sex. 'Saanidhya' imparts Functional Academic Checklist Programme (FACP) framed by the National Institute for Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) with committed and loving teachers. They take great care and initiative in training the inmates in Activities of Daily Living Skills (ADLS). Functional Academics (FA), Pre-Vocational Skills (PVS), Speech Therapy, Physio Therapy, Yoga, Sports, Games, Vocational Skills, Drama, Dance Therapy and extra curricular activities.
Finally the organizers assure a fun filled event with full of surprises the whole day in the lush green open ground of Indian High School Dubai with ethnic food stalls, game stalls, activity stalls, charity stalls and cultural activities on the stage being put up by various associations of Mangalore in Dubai who are all geared up for the forthcoming event.
Many more surprises will be released to the media in the coming days and the organisers have appealed to the people living in UAE to reserve the day to this grand programme with family and friends to have a glimpse of Tulu Culture and Tradition.