Land Trades Celebrates International Day of Older Persons with Inmates of Bharath Sevashram, Kanyana
Mangalore: Land Trades Builders and Developers commemorated the International Day of Older Persons with the elderly residents of Bharath Sevashram in Kanyana, Bantwal Taluk. This day is observed on October 1 all over the world to recognize the contributions of older persons.
The programme began with lamp lighting ceremony before the portrait of Dhirendranath Bhattacharya who had founded Bharath Sevashram in 1964 with five orphans housed in a thatched shed in ten cents of land.
Addressing the gathering, K. Shrinath Hebbar, the proprietor of Land Trades appreciated the humanitarian work done by Bharath Sevashram and paid rich tributes to its founder. “Dhirendranath Bhattacharya arrived here as a refugee during the Partition from present-day Bangladesh. He transformed adversity into opportunity, creating a facility that has provided shelter to thousands of vulnerable women, children, and those with mental health challenges over the last five decades,” he stated.
Hebbar also expressed gratitude to the elderly residents for the opportunity to spend time with them. “There is a saying that children brought up by their grandparents learn valuable qualities like patience, kindness and compassion and grow up to be well rounded individuals. Senior citizens are a treasure trove of life experience, knowledge and wisdom. Your very presence is inspiring and uplifting,” he added.
In recognition of the Ashram’s service to society, Mr. Hebbar honored Sarojini Amma, the founder’s wife and current guiding force, along with Secretary Eshwar Bhat and his wife, and Parashuram, for their dedicated service.
Eshwar Bhat thanked Land Trades for its generous support over the years. He reflected on the founder’s legacy, noting, “Dhirendranath Bhattacharya transformed the lives of countless individuals. Among the first five orphans he nurtured, one has retired as a bank manager, while others have gone on to successful careers, including 13 who became soldiers in the Indian army and two who are software engineers in the USA. Many girls who came as orphans have been educated, married and as per time honoured tradition, even delivery of their first child has taken place in the Ashram. Support from the public has enabled the Ashram to grow big and sustain itself.”
The programme concluded with the distribution of gifts, including bed sheets, warm clothing, medical monitoring equipment and essential utility items. The Ashram currently provides for the nurture of 130 elderly residents and 20 orphans in the midst of pristine natural surroundings. It also operates a goshala for housing rescued cattle.
Rameeth Kumar Siddakatte, CEO of Land Trades, served as the program anchor, while Padmanabha Shetty, General Manager of HR and Admin, and Darshan PV, Head of Marketing, coordinated the event. Assistance was provided by Vidya Lakshmi and Niyata Bhat from the sales and marketing department.