Mangaluru: MLA J R Lobo lauds PFI's national scholarship scheme

Mangaluru, Jan 9: Noted city based tax accountant and former Rotary District Governor Surya Prakash Bhat passed away late this evening following brief illness. He was 62 and is survived by his wife Srimathi and two daughters Shruthi and Shravya.

Surya Prakash Bhat suddenly fell ill and had been in coma for the last two weeks due to complications arising from acute diabetes. He was undergoing treatment in the ICU at Yenepoya Hospital, Kodialbail. However he failed to respond to treatment and passed away at 9.20 p.m on Wednesday, January 8th.

He was an active Rotarian. He was an active member of Rotaract Club of Mangalore Central during his youth and then joined Rotary Club of Mangalore in 1989. After holding various positions in club level and the district level including Rotary District Secretary during the year 1995-96, he became club President of Rotary Club of Mangalore during its Golden Jubilee year in 1999-2000. Then on he rose to the position of District Governor of RI Dist. 3180 during 2003-2004. He was presently a member of the Rotary District Advisory Council.

Popularly known as "SURI", Surya Prakash Bhat was born in Mangalore on 8th May 1957. He had his early education in Milagres High School and graduated from St. Aloysius College. He did his articleship under Kamath & Rao Chartered Accountants. He has been practicing as a Tax Consultant since 1980 specializing in the fields of Goods & Service Tax (GST).

He has earlier served as Treasurer and Secretary of Kanara Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mangalore. He also has been a Member of Finance & Banking Committee of FICCI, New Delhi; Member of Advisory Board, Department of Commercial Taxes as well as of Customs & Central Excise. He was one of the founders of The Karavali Automotive Sports Club, Mangalore and a Trustee of Shri Somanatha Temple, Someshwar, Mangalore.

Had been regularly anchoring programme like “Janadhwani”, a programme which highlights problems of common man, Elections Special and Budget Analysis in the local TV Channel.

Funeral will be held tomorrow in Mangalore.

Rotary Connection

Surya Prakash Bhat Joined Rotaract Club in 1976-77 and had won record 14 out of 15 awards in the district (Comprising of 8 Revenue Districts) as the best President during 1984-85.  He served as Rotaract District Secretary during 1985-86. 

He has been addressing various institutions, organizations and service clubs on matters of general interest, personality and individual development and Rotary. Has addressed the prestigious Rotary Institutes at Colombo and was trainer for the DGN’S at Cochin Institute, Bangkok Institute & SINGAPORE Institute. He was the President during the "Golden Jubilee Year" of Rotary Club of Mangalore during 1999-2000 when the club had bagged a record 28 awards in all.

He attended Rotary International Conventions at Singapore in 1999, at Denmark/Sweden in 2006 and New Orleans, USA in 2011,and Sydney, Australia in 2014. He was District Secretary during 1995-96 and then was the Club President during 1999-2000. He had initiated unique District Projects like “Sanjeevini” – Students Parents Insurance Scheme, “Jeeva” Highway Ambulance Project, Mid Day Meal for students of 6th & 7th Std children, Mobility Training Centre for the Blind etc. 

During the Governorship, RI Dist.3180 topped the world in membership development with 15 new clubs and 852 new members.  He has represented the Dist.3180 to Council on Legislation (decision taking body of Rotary International) at Chicago, USA during 2006-07.  Has been awarded “The Citation for Meritorious Service” by THE ROTARY FOUNDATION of Rotary International in recognition of his devoted efforts for the furthering of better understanding and friendly relations of people’s of the world. Has also been awarded “The Service above Self” citation of the Rorary International for the year 2011. Was the coordinator for Zone 6A & 6B covering around 12 countries for Literacy Programme of R.I for the year 2006-07.

Was the Chairman of the Dist. Trainers Training Programme at the Rotary Institute 2017-18 at Kuala Lampur, Malaysia.

Mangalore, May 2: More than 500 families received ration kits in a distribution drive conducted by St Agnes College in outskirts of Mangaluru on Wednesday.

Since the lockdown was announced, the management, staff and alumni of St Agnes College are playing an active role in ensuring no one is deprived of food and essentials during these challenging pandemic times.

The College as part of its Agnes towards Community (ATC) programme had adopted villages such as Munnur, Harekala, Amlamogaru, Someshwara and Pavur. Various development drives are conducted in these villages by the staff and students. However, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the activities undertaken in these villages were kept on hold.

The College recently received information from its network that several families in these villages are struggling for food and essentials.

The College management in association with its alumni and well-wishers took-up the initiative to distribute ration kits consisting of rice, dal, spices, tea powder, hygiene products and other essentials to 500 needy families belonging to these villages.

The drive was held in presence of Zilla Panchayat member Dhanalakshmi Gatty and other Gram Panchayat members.

"We were able to provide food to 600 and more families in different villages and to the stranded migrant workers in the city during this time of crisis because of the generous contributions of our staff, alumni and well wishes" says Sr Dr. M. Jeswina A.C.

The College management expresses its gratitude to all donors, especially the staff, alumni and those associated with the college.

Mangaluru, May 22: An elderly cardiac patient from Dakshina Kannada, who was stranded in Saudi Arabia due to covid-19 lock-down, has finally reached his homeland thanks to the timely intervention by Humanity Forum Jubail and Indian Social Forum.

The elderly man hailing from Kadaba area of Dakshina Kannada was admitted to a hospital in Madinah. However, his condition continued to worsen due to lack of proper treatment. The efforts by his family members to bring him back home had not yielded results.

Meanwhile, one of the relatives of the patient, Ansari Suratkal, who happens to be a DKSC activist, brought the issue to the notice of the Karnataka unit of the Indian Social Forum in Dammam. ISF contacted Humanity Forum president Zakariya Jokatte, who helped the patient to speak directly union minister D V Sadananda Gowda in a video conference organised by coastaldigest.com.

Humanity Forum also persuaded the Indian Embassy to allow the stranded cardiac patient to fly back to India through Dammam-Bengaluru repatriation flight on May 20. 

However, it was not easy for the patient to travel from Madinah to Dammam International Airport due to lock-down and curfew. ISF not only obtained travel permission for him but also arranged vehicle. Jeddah and Riyadh units of ISF helped in obtaining permission letter in their respective places in spite of travel ban imposed by the police. Madinah unit of ISF arranged vehicle for transportation. Zakariya Jokatte bore the air ticket and other expenses of the patient.