Potters association to celebrate platinum jubilee

MANGALORE: Preparations are afoot for the valedictory of the platinum jubilee celebrations of Dakshina Kannada Moolyara Yane Kulalara (potters) Sangha, to be held at Nasik BS Bangera auditorium here on Sunday.
Briefing reporters, the president of the Sangha, B. Mahabal Handa, said the celebration was the culmination of year-long activities.
As part of celebrations, four people who have contributed for the uplift of the community, namely, M.R.Narayana (co-operative banker), Ammembal Balappa (freedom fighter), Janatha Gopal (businessman) and Dugappa Ajekar (scholar) will be honoured.
Elaborating on its activities Handa said the Sangha had taken up various schemes aimed at benefiting 2.83 lakh members of the community in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Although considered a backward community, the community leaders were striving to move ahead in all spheres of life for which the Sangha proposed to set up its own educational institution at Neermarga. Pushpa Sadananda, a member of the community had volunteered to provide 75 cents of land for the purpose.
With regard to steps initiated to revive the dying art of pottery, he said the various potters co-operatives functioning in coastal districts were functioning effectively. He however regretted that the government had shown scant regard without giving it the necessary boost. The industry mainly survived the test of time as a handicraft only due to the zeal of some individuals, he added.
Highlighting the various service projects initiated by the association, Handa said scholarships worth Rs 3.5 lakh were distributed to students at various levels.
About the platinum jubilee valedictory, he said the seer of Shiroor Math, Udupi, Lakshmivara Tirtha and Mohandas Swami would bless the occasion. The district-in-charge minister B. Ramanath Rai, would preside over the function. Minister of State for Religious Endowment, Suma Vasanth, and the entrepreneur, M.S. Ramesh, would be the chief guests. A souvenir, ‘Amritha Kumbha’, would be released on the occasion.The concluding function in the evening will be presided over by MLA N. Yogish Bhat. Mayor M. Shashidhar Hegde, corporator Sujatha Ahalya and president of Madike Thayarakara Sangha, Puttur B.S. Kulal will be the chief guests.