Founder dies at opening of Farmers Co-operative Society

Udupi, August 1: Udupi District Coconut Farmers Cooperative Society was inaugurated as a part of the annual general body meeting here at Mount Rosario Church Hall at Santhekatte on Sunday.

The programme started with observing a minute silence for the sudden demise of the founder of Udupi District Coconut Farmers Association, P Somashekhar Rao, who collapsed minutes after he entered the hall.

Speaking after inaugurating the Cooperative Society, Mount Rosario Church Parish Priest Fr Phillip Aranha offered condolences to founder P Somashekhar Rao's sudden demise.

He said the real tribute to be offered to the founder is by reaching out to the goals envisioned by him for the progress of the Association and Cooperative Society. Attempts should be made to achieve success with the coordination of all those who are concerned with the Association, he said.

Collapses

The founder, P Somashekhar Rao, collapsed on entering the hall, where the inaugural ceremony was being held.

He suffered cardiac arrest overwhelmed with the happiness he experienced seeing the huge gathering in the hall. His last words expressed surprise and happiness to see many people as the members of the Association he established with couple of members. He was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead. Somashekhar Rao is the retired school teacher who ventured into agriculture activities in the 1980s. He was aged 85. He is from Padukudru, Kemmannu. He founded the Coconut Farmers Association in the year 2002.