by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore
Mysore, Jun 19: Prof. K. Ramadas, the fire-brand rationalist, a staunch socialist, thinker and retired Professor of Kannada, passed away here this morning. He was 66.
With his demise, the progressive movement in Karnataka has lost one of its stalwarts.
He leaves behind his wife Nirmala, retired Professor of Kannada at Maharani's College, daughter Sneha and son-in-law T. Omkar, Chief Sub-Editor of Vijaya Karnataka daily.
Cremation will take place at 4 pm today at the electric crematorium at the foot of Chamundi Hill.
The end came at 5 am at his residence Charvaka (name of an ancient atheist) on Panchamantra Road in Kuvempunagar. Prof. Ramadas was suffering from lung cancer.
He complained uneasiness early in the morning due to rise in blood sugar. By the time his family doctor Dr. Ranganathaiah arrived, Prof. Ramadas had breathed his last. He had undergone bypass surgery recently.
Hailing from Sagar in Shimoga district, Prof. Ramadas came up in life the hard way. He lost his father Shivaiah at a very young age. His mother Manjamma, who was a midwife at a Government Hospital, brought him up.
After his early education in Ripponpet and Sagar, he did his intermediate at Sahyadri College in Shimoga where P. Lankesh was his teacher. He came to Mysore and did his BA (Hons) at Maharaja's College and MA at Manasagangotri. Later he began his career as a lecturer at Maharaja's College.
Socialists' company
Young Ramadas came in contact with socialists during his student days at Maharaja's. He was greatly influenced by the philosophy of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia and actively involved himself with Samajwadi Yuvajana Sabha.
Prof. Ramadas was a very close friend of P. Lankesh of Lankesh Patrike, litterateur K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi, Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy of Raitha Sangha and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
Forthright
He never tolerated atrocities on poor and down-trodden and their exploitation. He would not mince words while criticising corrupt, dishonest persons, hypocrites and vested interests.
He actively participated in the protests, public meetings, processions and street corner speeches during Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi.
Prof. Ramadas led the Mysore unit of Karnataka Pragati Ranga launched by Lankesh and Prof. M.D. Nanjundaswamy during Emergency to strive for the socio-political change. The Ranga survived even after Emergency and fought against the Ramakrishna Hegde Government which was embroiled in land scams like Revajeethu.
He was active in Raitha Sangha movements and Bandaya Sahithya Sanghatane.
Prof. Ramadas played major role during the Gokak report agitation in Mysore leading the youth in several demonstrations. He courted arrest while leading an agitation against World Kannada Conference held in Mysore in 1985.
A committed rationalist, Prof. Ramadas strongly criticised blind beliefs and practices. He staged a demonstration against the then President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma when the latter visited Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashram saying that the constitutional head of a democracy should not promote superstition.
He launched an agitation against the then Minister H. Viswanath accusing him of promoting animal sacrifice at a shrine near Kollegal.
Playing guru
Prof. Ramadas was a friend, guide and philosopher to former Deputy Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, who never missed a visit to the residence of Prof. Ramadas while in Mysore for discussing important issues.
Prof. Ramadas, who married a girl from outside his caste, conducted several inter-caste marriages through his Manava Mantapa. Many such marriages took place in his house.
Friends pay homage to Prof Ramadas
A large number of friends, admirers and political leaders are visiting Charvaka in Kuvempunagar to pay homage to Prof. K. Ramadas, who passed away here this morning.
District in-charge Minister G.T. Devegowda, who was in Hebbal for his routine padayatra in the morning, rushed to Charvaka on receiving information and paid floral tributes to the departed soul.
Expressing deep sorrow over the demise of Prof. Ramadas, the Minister described it as a 'great loss to the progressive movement in Karnataka'.
"He has left us at a time when we still needed his advice and guidance", he added.
Former Union Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad, who recalled his long association with Prof. Ramadas during many protests and campaigns, said that the society had lost a kind-hearted person who fought for the cause of oppressed, exploited and down-trodden.
Assembly Speaker Krishna, noted litterateur Devanur Maha-dev, Rangayana Director Chid-ambara Rao Jambe, veteran journalist Krishna Vattam, Star of Mysore Editor K.B. Ganapathy, Andolana Editor Rajashekhar Koti and Krishnaprasad, MLC D. Madegowda, former Lok Sabha member Siddharaju, former Mayors Vasu, R. Narayan, Ananth and M.S. Raju, Congress leader Vikrant P. Devegowda, Bahujan Samaj Party State Secretary Mahesh, advocate Venugopal, Prof. H.S. Ramachandregowda, Prof. Shivaramu Kadanakupe, former Vice-Chancellor Prof. P. Venkataramaiah, playwright Dr. Lingadevaru Halemane, Prof. C. Naganna, Prof. Kalegowda Nagawara, Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Manasa, Abdul Rashid of AIR, Prof. H. Govindaiah, former CADA Chairman Devanur Shivamallu, former MLC Y. Mahesh, noted critic Dr. G.H. Nayak, wildlife photographers Krupakar-Senani, Dr. H.C. Vishnumurthy and many dignitaries visited Charvaka and paid their last respects.
Mysore District Journalists Association President Amshi Prasanna Kumar and Mysore Reporters Guild President Shivakumar paid floral tributes.