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The forgotten heroes of South Canara

Though national leaders led the freedom movement, local leaders played a major role in strengthening the movement at the grassroot level.

Mangaluru: There is a general notion that the freedom movement did not gain momentum in the coastal districts of Karnataka. But the non-documentation of freedom movement is said to have hidden the struggle in this part of the country not only from the outer world but even from local people. Many leaders and developments related to the movement have been forgotten.

Though national leaders led the freedom movement, local leaders played a major role in strengthening the movement at the grassroot level. People who have studied the freedom movement in the region say that the coastal belt was witness to some important developments related to the freedom struggle but they have not been documented.

U Vinith Rao of Department of Gandhian Studies in MGM College- Udupi narrates a few leaders and incidents in undivided Dakshina Kannada.

“A few days after Gandhiji called for the Quit India movement and was arrested, the freedom fighters of Udupi lead by S.U. Paniyadi decided to give momentum to the movement. They declared that they would hoist the Tricolor in Udupi amidst prohibitory orders. Despite police security, freedom fighter Shesha Sherigar climbed the 60 feet tall ‘Mana Stamba,’ monolith in front of Sri Anantheshwara Temple in Udupi, with a rope at night and hoisted the flag. This was the first incident of hoisting the flag despite prohibitory orders in the then Dakshina Kannada district,” Vinith Rao narrates.

After this, the Tricolor was hoisted in several places in the region. But not many from Udupi remember this today! The region also has a close connection with Sathyagraha.

Freedom fighter Karnad Sadashiva Rao, from Mangaluru was the first person from Karnataka to sign Gandhiji’s ‘Sathyagraha Pledge,” in 1919!

“Sadashiva Rao was the leader who brought Gandhiji’s ideology close to the people of Dakshina Kannada. He was a towering personality and Gandhiji who had met Rao’s mother during his last visit on 1934 had praised Rao,” Vinith notes.

“Rao was also the first person in the region to write to Gandhiji asking him to lead the freedom movement. As early as 1917, Rao had written to Gandhiji asking for his leadership,” he says.

Rao who played a major role in keeping the torch of freedom alight, died when he was in Maharashtra to participate in a Congress programme. His death is said to have almost gone unnoticed. Very few people remember him and his works today.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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