Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 3: Dr Raveendranath Punja (74), hereditary trustee of Kateel Goddess Durgaparameshwari temple and a famous doctor based in Chennai, breathed his last at his home in the city on February 2. He is survived by wife, two daughters and a son.

Dr Punja who served as doctor in Chennai since the last five decades, happened to be a former president of Chennai Bunts Association. He had taken over charge as hereditary trustee of Kateel temple on June 1 last year, as the representative of Kodethurgutu lineage. He had taken part in the Ashtamangala query arranged at the temple on Wednesday. He had been conferred Sevaratna award by Karnataka Sangha, Life Time Achievement award from Indian Medical Association, Mother Theresa award by Tamil Sangham, award by Doctors Association etc. He had been honoured with several prestigious honours, felicitations and awards.

He had earned a spot in the temple trust after a long drawn process which went through court and muzrai department scrutiny. Kateel temple trustee, Vasudeva Asranna, Tantry of the temple, Vedavyasa Tantry, temple priests, Laxminarayana Asranna, Anantapadmnabha Asranna, Venkataramana Asranna, and Kamaladevi Prasad Asranna, Harinarayanadas Asranna, MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, former minister, Amarnath Shetty, MLA, K Abhay Chandra Jain etc have mourned his death.

Shops and establishments in Kateel closed their shutters as a mark of respect for the deceased. Ashtamangala query in progress was suspended at the temple. It is learnt that the funeral will be held today.