By Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (RD/CN)
Bantwal, Feb 13: The five winners of the ‘Swastik Siri’ state awards were announced during the 26th annual day celebrations of Swastik Friends Club, Punjalkatte, on Thursday February 11.
M N Rajendra Kumar (co-operative sector), K D Shetty, Mumbai (social work), Joseph N M (education), Geetha Bai, Mangalore (sports), and Sampat B Suvarna (youth organizer), have been chosen for the awards.
“The awards will be conferred during the mass wedding ceremony scheduled to be held on Thursday February 18 at Punjalkatte”, said Swastik Friends Club founder president M Tungappa Bangera and president Prashanth M Punjalkatte.
M N Rajendra Kumar
A veteran of the co-operative movement, he has been serving as president of South Kanara District Central Co-Operative (SCDCC) Bank for the past 16 years. He has strived for the Bank’s national recognition through his innovative banking in the co-operative sphere.
It was during his long tenure that the number of branches of the SCDCC Bank increased to 54 from 24, which are fully computerized with single window facility and also for the first time in co-operative banking, mobile banking was also introduced. The profits rose to over Rs 7 lac.
He has served as chairman of State Apex Bank, managing director of Navodaya Gram Vikas Charitable Trust, and founder director of Navodaya Vividoddesh Souharda Sahakari Sangh.
SCDCC Bank has been the recipient of the State Apex Bank Award for 14 consecutive years. It has empowered its members through 26,000 Navodaya self-help groups.
He has been actively involved in fostering traditional arts, sports, and religious practices of the coastal district.
K D Shetty Mumbai
Kusumadar D Shetty, Mumbai entrepreneur, social worker, and philanthropist, he is a native of Chelladka, Bantwal taluk. He is well-known in the international shipping industry and has served as secretary of Mumbai Bunts Sangh, honorary chief secretary of Matrabhoomi Co-operative Credit Society, founder president of Regional Committee of Bunts Sangh, Navi Mumbai, and has also served society in his own ways. He has been the recipient of several awards including gold medals for his service to society.
Joseph N M
He is a post graduate in economics and politics and has served as lecturer in various colleges since 1989. He also served as economics lecturer at Sacred Heart College, Madantyar, Beltangady taluk, since 2001, and was promoted as NSS project officer in 2005, which gave him an opportunity to be actively involved in social service.
Joseph is a multi-faceted personality, engaged in people’s health awareness and other social welfare activities. He has successfully organized district-level health camps, district-level youth fests, mass weddings, and many social welfare activities.
He has been the recipient of the excellent NSS project officer by Mangalore University. Jaycees Club International honoured him with awards during annual day celebrations and many other such awards from social welfare and voluntary organizations.
Geetha Bai
The daughter of the late Paduranga Prabhu, she is a resident of Tokkottu, Mangalore. She is a sportswoman who has represented the district and the state in national and international tournaments such as Kabaddi, power-lifting, and tug-of-war.
She has bagged a medal for competing in the international power lifting championship, 22 gold and silver medals in national tournaments, 12 gold medals at the south India level championship and 23 gold medals in state-level tournaments.
Sampath B Suvarna
He has been the recipient of the Jaycees zonal award in 1998, top organizer in 2004, unit president award and top zonal director national award in 2005.
He has been one of the 50 Jaycees Award winners in 2008 and bagged the excellent zonal president national award during the national convention held at Varanasi. He also attended the international convention in Tunisia and his unit of JCI was the second among the two Jaycees winners at the international convention.
He is a philanthropist and is involved in social welfare activities.