Industry Leader Srinivas V. Kudva No More
Mangaluru: Srinivas Vaman Kudva (87), Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Workshops Ltd., passed away at his residence on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at about 9:00 pm. The end came peacefully in his sleep, according to his family sources.
He is survived by his wife Sharada, two sons Premnath Kudva and Vasant Kudva, and two daughters Shaila and Neena. He was also a doting patriarch to six grandchildren.
His body will be kept for public viewing and for paying last respects at his residence on Swami Vivekananda Road, next to Padua High School, Kadri Hills in the city at 12 noon on Sunday August 30 and followed by cremation at about 3pm.
BIOGRAPHY
Srinivas Vaman Kudva was born on 8th April 1933 in Mangalore. He was the second son of V. S. Kudva, the legendary founder of Canara Workshops Ltd., Navabharatha Kannada daily newspaper and Managing Director of CPC Ltd. After attending Canara High School Main at Dongerkery, Mangalore, he graduated in chemistry obtaining a B.Sc. degree from St. Aloysius College. He left for the USA in 1953 to study MS in Metallurgical Engineering at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
He returned to India in 1956 to join his father at The Canara Workshops Ltd., and helped him to set up one of the first mini steel plants in the country consisting of a 5MT arc furnace and the country’s first vertical continuous casting machine. He was able to put his knowledge into practice to produce superior quality steel from the mini steel. He took over the management of the company on the demise of his father, and under his leadership, the company achieved tremendous progress. He was proficient in computer programming and led the company into the IT era with installing the first computers in the company as early as in the 80s. He was personally responsible for creating the software on which the various systems of the company now run.
He has earlier served also as the Chairman of Canara Public Conveyance Ltd., the pioneer transport organization presently known as CPC Logistics Ltd.
He was the founder director of the All India Automobile Ancillary Association and Metal Scrap Trading Corporation, and was the President of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mangalore for two terms from 1982 to 1984. He was nominated by the government as Founder President of the Kanara Stock Exchange later renamed as Mangalore Stock Exchange, for a period of three years. He was President of the Mangalore Management Association (Affiliate to the All India Management Association) from 1985-1997 for a period of 12 years. Widely travelled, he had excellent knowledge of various industrial activities in many developed and some developing countries. He was associated with American Society for Metals.
Srinivas Kudva was known for his charitable streak. He contributed financially to the development of Vijaya College, Mulky, which is his family’s native place. He also extended scholarships to students of St Aloysius College, his alma mater.
He was the president of the Canara Foundation and a founder of the V.S. Kudva Foundation, which are engaged in charitable activities and assist in education and other social projects. He was a versatile speaker in both English and Kannada. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Mangalore and later of the Rotary Club of Mangalore Midtown where he had served as its President.
Dakshina Kannada Automobile and Tyre Dealers Association, Mangalore has condoled the demise of Srinivas Kudva, recalling its long association with him. He laid the foundation stone for the Association’s own building ‘Auto Bhavan’ on 27.11.2007. The Association had felicitated him with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ during its Annual General Meeting on 25.10.2008 and recognized him as a ‘Patron’ of the Association.
