Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (MB)
Mangalore, Dec 18: Janardan Prabhu (83), much-revered and respected freedom fighter from here, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday, December 17, while he was on a visit to his son Surendra J Prabhu's house in Dahisar.
It was only four days earlier that he had arrived in Mumbai. Taken ill after landing there, he had been admitted to the Pandya Hospital in Borivli. On Sunday morning he died of a heart attack.
His funeral took place in Daulat Nagar crematorium in Borivli East under the initiative of the Gowd Saraswat Brahmin Seva Samaj, Mumbai.
During his prime days, he ran an aerated water manufacturing unit and was commonly known as "Jinn Mam".
Born of Sriranga and Yamuna Prabhu on July 21, 1923, he was greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. In 1942, at the young age of 19, he plunged head-on into the Independence movement. Along with other 30 youth, he is said to have made an attempt to blow up the Handelu bridge in Moodbidri, in an attempt to prevent the British from entering town. After his arrest in the case, he was confined in jails in Kundapur, Udupi and Bellary for a total of a year and 10 months. He was also subjected to 15 lashes.
During the regime of the late PM Indira Gandhi, he had received the Tamra Patra, a citation for freedom-fighters. He was also entitled to pension on that count.
In 2005, he was invited by President Kalam to a pre-Independence Day tea party. But he missed it owing to bureaucratic delays.
As if to make it up, he was invited yet another time in 2006 by the President, but bad luck dogged him again when he lost his railway pass. No effort was made the officials to have a fresh pass issued to him. Ultimately, he died a disappointed man.
Dogged by Disappointment:
Moodbidri: Meeting with President may Elude Janardan Prabhu again
Daijiworld's Coverage of the 2005 Fiasco: