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Karnataka’s 111-year-old seer dead, 3-day mourning announced (Night Lead)
Tumakuru (Karnataka), Jan 22 (IANS) Karnataka’s 111-year-old revered seer, Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt here, the most influential leader of the Lingayat community, died on Monday following protracted illness.
As a mark of respect to the socio-religious icon, the state government has declared a three-day mourning till Wednesday and holiday for schools, colleges and its offices on Tuesday across the state.
The National flag will fly at half-mast during the mourning period at government offices and designated places, said an official statement.
The seer’s last rites will be performed with full state honours on Tuesday evening on the Mutt premises, Kumaraswamy said.
“His holiness passed away at 11.44 a.m in the Mutt during treatment for lung infection,” Kumaraswamy told the media here, about 70km northwest of Bengaluru.
The seer was suffering from lung infection for the past few weeks and was put on life support on January 11. He had been in and out of hospitals in recent years due to various health issues.
“Swami did great service to the poor by providing hundreds of children education and food.”
The Chief Minister also said the state government would recommend to the Centre to confer “Bharat Ratna”, highest civilian award, on the seer.
The state-run road transport service has arranged an additional 200 buses to take people to Tumakuru for paying homage to the Swami and attend his last rites from nearby towns and villages on Tuesday.
The South West Railway will operate two special trains from Bengaluru to Tumakuru on Tuesday at 7.30am and 12 noon and return trips by evening.
The district authorities have made elaborate security arrangements to regulate the movement of people rushing to the Mutt in hundreds for a last glimpse of the seer before his burial on Tuesday evening in accordance with the Lingayat customs with state honours.
Thousands of grieving followers gathered at his hermitage where he was shifted to on January 16 on his request although he had not fully recovered in the hospital where he was warded. He had miraculously recovered but breathed his last on Monday morning.
As news of his death spread, many men and women broke down outside his ashram and hundreds of people rushed to the Mutt for a last glimpse of the seer, who was kept in a sitting posture in a glass casket since evening.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, BJP President Amit Shah and scores of political leaders in Karnataka, including state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, mourned Swami’s death.
Known among his followers as a “walking god” and an incarnation of 12th century social reformer Basava, the seer also headed the Sree Siddaganga Education Society, which runs about 130 educational institutions across the state – from engineering colleges to business schools.
Many of the institutions offer free education and boarding and lodging facilities to poor students.
Fluent in English, Kannada and Sanskrit, the seer was widely respected for his secular outlook and the charitable activities he presided over.
The Kannada film industry has decided to remain shut on Tuesday to pay its homage to the seer. As a result, there will be no screening of films in multiplexes, single-screen cinema theatres and studios.
The Bangalore University has also re-scheduled all post-graduate exams from Tuesday to Wednesday, Thursday and January 29 due to the seer’s demise.
The Rani Chennamma University at Belagavi in the state’s northwest region also rescheduled the exams to January 28 from Tuesday as a mark of respect to the seer.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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