Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Apr 15: Manya Venkat Rao (83), a protagonist of book culture, religious and cultural leader, breathed his last on the morning of Wednesday April 14, at his residence, ‘Nityananda Nilaya’ in Manya, Badiyadka, in the taluk. He was suffering from ailments associated with old age.

Rao had run ‘Nityananda Granthalaya’ in Hampankatta area in Mangalore for over six decades, and was involved with publication, sale and popularizing of books. The said book shop was identified as the biggest collection of Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tulu and other books. Several books of Bhajans, religious works, history books, research papers, plays, anthologies, novels etc., were published under the banner of ‘Nityananda Granthalaya’.

He was a well known philanthropist, having donated  generously to schools and temples. He was a Yakshagana enthusiast too. He was honoured at various forums by Dr Veerendra Heggade, M Veerappa Moily etc.

Various associations and forums, MP, P Karunakaran, MLAs, C T Ahmedali and C H Kunhambu, and other dignitaries have mourned the demise of Manya Venkat Rao.