Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (MS)

Madikeri, Jan 12: A philanthropist from Kodagu has set an inspiring example by celebrating his 50th birthday in a truly noble way — by gifting homes to the homeless.

Ganesh, a resident of Arji panchayat in Kodagu, marked his milestone birthday by cutting a cake with homeless individuals and gifting them houses.

“No one is permanent in this world. We cannot take anything with us when we leave. Instead of accumulating property and wealth, we should keep only what is necessary and donate the rest,” said Ganesh.

An electrical contractor by profession, Ganesh was born into a poor family and, through hard work, made a living for himself. He understands the struggles of the homeless and has always wanted to help those in need.

“I won the Betoli grama panchayat elections in 2000 by a margin of just five votes, and during my tenure, I became acquainted with the lives of the people. I was re-elected in 2005 and served as vice-president before later becoming a taluk panchayat member. During this time, I met a girl who scored 95% in SSLC but came from a financially poor background. Her hut had no electricity. The video of her studying under an oil lamp went viral on social media, and her story inspired me. I provided a free electricity connection to her family’s hut,” recalled Ganesh.

In 2023, during a panchayat survey, Ganesh came across a woman named Kala from the tribal community, living in poor conditions. He noticed that none of the families in the area were living in decent homes. Moved by their situation, he vowed to help them and assured them of new houses.

He built a four-room house for Kala’s family and handed over the keys to them on January 22, 2024, during the inauguration of the Rama Mandir in Ayodhya, hoping it would be a day they would always remember.

In April 2024, while serving as the taluk president of the Billava community association, Ganesh learned of a woman whose house had collapsed. He immediately arranged for a new house to be built for her as well.

Now, many more families have approached Ganesh seeking housing. As part of his 50th birthday celebrations, Ganesh donated two houses to Shankar and Vasanti. Additionally, he has provided electricity connections to five families through the panchayat.

“I visited the Theremekadu Paisari area for some work and met Shankar’s family, who were living in a hut about to collapse. I promised them a new house and built one at a cost of Rs 1.6 lac, handing over the keys to them,” said Ganesh.