Bahrain: Austin Santosh Elected President of Kannada Sangha
by  Ronald D’Souza & Joe Andrade
Daijiworld Media Network Bahrain

Bahrain, Mar 11: Kannada Sangha, Bahrain, established in 1977, elected a new Executive Committee under the Presidentship of  Mr. Austin Santhosh last week.    The Sangha has for many years given its members a sense of belonging keeping alive the cultural spirit combined with academic, sports, entertainment and a variety of other vivid programs.     The Club’s motto spelt out in Kannada says: “Sangha Jeevanavey Sukha Jeevana”.   It translates as “there’s happiness in a life of togetherness”

Austin Santosh

The Sangha has played an important role in propagating Kannada and its varied culture from the Karnataka belt and is one of the leading and largest expatriate Clubs on the island with about 250 members.    Members and their families spend the evenings in a relaxed fun-filled atmosphere biding their time in fellowship and involving in a number of cultural activities the Club has to offer.   Yakshagana, Filmy and Folk dances, dramatics, charity drives, blood donation camps, competitions are some of the activities in which the Sangha is in the forefront.    The Sangha has felicitated and honoured a number of film and political personalities during their visits to Bahrain.   It is also the coveted recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award which in the year 2002.    

New Excecutive committee

Austin Santosh, the newly elected President, has been a member of the Sangha since 1984 and has served as a Club Officer many times in various capacities.   In 1985 he was elected the Entertainment Secretary  of the Club and in 1994 as the General Secretary.   It was during his tenure in 1994 that the Mega event, Karnatakotsava was conducted in Bahrain for the first time with Dr. Veerendra Heggade as the Chief Guest and attended by over 8,000 Kannadigas, most of whom from Bahrain and few residing in other parts of the world.    He was elected as the President of the Silver Jubilee Committee in 2002 during which the prestigious Rajya Prashasthi award was conferred on the Sangha, personally receiving it from the then Chief Minister, Sri S. M. Krishna.      He has always been a keen supporter and propagator of the Club’s various cultural programs encouraging members to participate and contribute their might.

File picture

Santosh is a talented stage artiste from his younger days and before coming to the island in 1983 was involved in a number of yourth activities in his hometown Haleyangadi.     He has also been the President of the the Mulki Youth Congress Block and also a member of the Land Tribunal Board appointed by the Govt. of Karnataka.    He was also a member of the Rotaract Club. 

Being no stranger, we wish him success in his new role and we are sure that during his tenure he will bring in further laurels, name and fame to the Sangha.