Dakshina Kannada: An educational hub with uneducated representatives

Mangaluru, Apr 29: Karnataka’s coastal district of Dakshina Kannada is known as a the district of intelligent people. It has the highest literacy rate. Besides this is the educational hub of south India. Ironically, many of the elected representatives of this district are school dropouts. BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, who represents the district in the parliament, has not studied beyond Class 10. However, he managed to defeat Congress veteran Janardhana Poojary, who holds B.Com and LLB degrees, twice.

*U T Khader, J R Lobo and Ramanath Rai are the only three graduates among the eight sitting MLAs of DK

*School dropout S Angara (BJP) defeated MBBS graduate Dr Raghu (Congress) twice in Sullia Assembly constituency

*BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, who studied up to Class 10 defeated Congress veteran B Janardhana Poojary (B.Com, LLB) twice in Lok Sabha polls

Only three of the eight sitting MLAs in the district hold bachelor degrees. U T Khader, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, who represents Mangaluru (Ullal) constituency in the Assembly, is an LLB gradate. He is also perusing master degree in Kannada literature in an open university.  

J R Lobo, a former state civil servant, who represents Mangaluru City South in the Assembly, holds BSc and B Ed degrees. B Ramanath Rai, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, and MLA from Bantwal constituency, is a BA graduate. 

K Abhayachandra Jain, the MLA from Mulki-Moodbidri constituency, has completed diploma in automobile (diesel mechanic). Vasanth Bangera, the MLA from Belthangady constituency, has completed Pre-University course.

Shakuntala Shetty, the former BJP leader, who won from the Puttur constituency on a Congress ticket in the last assembly polls, bid goodbye to education after completing Class 10. 

B A Mohiuddin Bava, the MLA from the Mangaluru City North, hasn’t completed SSLC. Interestingly, he is the brother of JD(S) leader B M Farookh, who holds a bachelor degree in engineering and a master degree in business administration. 

S Angara, the MLA from Sullia, who is also the lone BJP legislator in entire district, is a Class IX dropout. He has twice defeated Congress candidate Dr Rahgu, who is an MBBS gradate.