Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Feb 11: Inauguration of centenary celebrations of Akhila Bharat Billavara Union and foundation laying ceremony for the proposed hostel building for Billavas will be held at town hall here on Sunday February 12. Karnataka Chief Minister, D V Sadananda Gowda, will conduct the inaugural and foundation laying at 10 am. Before the inaugural, cultural programmes will be presented from 9 am onwards.

Minister, Dr V S Acharya, former union minister, R L Jalappa, former minister, Krishna J Palemar, MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, assembly deputy speaker, N Yogish Bhat, Rajya Sabha member, Oscar Fernandes, present legislators belonging to Billava and Ediga communities, and dignitaries from the community from the country and abroad, will participate in this function, informed president of the union, Navinchandra D Suvarna.

He said that the organization had been set up by the then Billava leaders in 1912, with the aim of protecting the interests of the community members and to spread awareness in the community. “The Billava Sangha, which was set up in Kudroli under the guidance of Brahmasri Narayana Guru has now spread its wings all over the country and has been identified as Akhila Bharat Billavara Union,” he explained.

He noted that the union has been distributing student scholarships in the name of the late Damodar Suvarna every year to poor students, and added that the proposed hostel building will come up in an one acre plot sanctioned with help from Sadananda Gowda in the city.