Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao paying tribute to Kudmul Ranga Rao in Mangaluru on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday inaugurated pre and post-matric hostels for girls belonging to Scheduled Castes at Kodialbail in the city.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rao said hostels play an important role in educating children. For this purpose only, the late Kudmul Ranga Rao strove for bringing in social change by opposing oppression against Dalits in the undivided Dakshina Kannada a century ago, he said.
The new hostel building can accommodate 156 pre-matric and 126 post-matric girl students. Mr. Rao said the new hostel named after Kudmul Ranga Rao should be better utilised by girls from the Scheduled Castes communities. What Mahatma Gandhi did across the country by being the voice of the oppressed, Kudmul Ranga Rao did the same in the coast.
Presiding over the programme, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath said the dilapidated hostel on the land donated by Kudmul Ranga Rao was brought down to construct a new one. He faced severe criticism upon opening an educational institution for the oppressed classes. His samadhi will be improved at a cost of ₹3 crore, Mr. Kamath said adding he will develop 23 SC colonies in the constituency.
Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, MLC K. Harish Kumar, Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur and others were present.
Published - September 20, 2023 08:41 pm IST
