MBA Felicitates P P Hegde for Hat-trick win in State Bar Council Election
Mangaluru: The Mangaluru Bar Association held a felicitation programme for P P Hegde for a hat-trick win in the State Bar Council elections, at the Court premises here on June 30.
The programme began with an invocation. Addressing the gathering the Principal District and Sessions Judge K S Bilagi said, “Many years ago when I was working as a judge, I realized that there is a difference between listening and seeing. In the earlier elections along with senior advocate Sitaram Shetty, P P Hegde was also elected and I had thought that Sitaram and P P Hegde were of the same age, but when I saw P P Hegde in the High court I was shocked. At a young age, P P Hedge has worked as an advocate and has grown to great heights much over his age. He has been practicing in my level in Mangaluru and does not need any praise from me.”
Bilagi further said, “P P Hegde has won the State Bar Council elections thrice. When an advocate joins as a junior, seniors should support them. When Junior advocates grow in this field the seniors should help them financially. When the seniors support the juniors, they will grow along with them.”
Recalling a story of a father who had kept three things for his daughter to select, ie. a book, money and flowers. Daughter does not touch anything but comes to her father and touches him. The father then realizes that his daughter was expecting only love from him and nothing else. So I request the juniors to be like the children to their seniors. If you treat your seniors as your elders, surely they will accept you as their own children. We should serve throughout the country instead of serving in Mangaluru. P P Hegde is an inspiration for all the young advocates to continue their service. In the beginning five years, you should think only about work, after five years think of work and earnings and finally earnings. I want you all to be like P P Hegde who is working in Mangaluru, Bengaluru and also going to Delhi. You should not be like the frog in the well but should spread your wings and serve throughout the nation.”
P P Hegde was felicitated by The Principal District and Sessions Judge K S Bilagi along with other dignitaries with a Peta, garland, floral bouquet, Fruits and memento.
After receiving the felicitation P P Hegde addressing the gathering said, “My only dream was to see Junior and senior advocates on the same dais and today my dream has been realized. We need to create such an environment where there should be no discrimination between juniors and seniors and every advocate should be treated equally. In 1993 when I came to Mangaluru to work as an advocate, I saw that there was a 30 year age difference between me and the leading advocates. I did not find any able senior advocate in a gap of 30 years. Why was that gap was not filled, why was that vacuum created? It was because we had not given an opportunity for the juniors to grow. Today many young advocates from my office are contesting cases. My contribution to the society is that I have trained more than 30 advocates in my office who are very good in their field. I call upon the senior advocates to give the opportunity to their juniors to show their ability. When we give the opportunity they will surely grow as leading advocates.”
Recalling his earlier experience when he had won the State Bar Council elections, P P Hegde said, “When I first won the state Bar Council elections I was too young but after 15 years now I am not young. My experience is that, if I have won this elections in the state, it is because of all my advocate friends who have supported me wholeheartedly. From Dakshina Kannada more than 400 advocates have voted for me, even from Udupi, I have received the highest number of votes. You all have given me the opportunity to win the elections and I am indebted to all of you. In my tenure, I will work for the welfare of the advocates. Advocates do not have insurance, and for the security of advocates, we should urge the government to provide insurance and medical facilities. When I was the president for the first time in our country the certificate of practice was introduced to curb fake advocates. Many of the fake advocates were caught and punished”.
President of Mangaluru Bar Association M R Ballal, Judge Mallana Gowda, Somanath Hegde and others were also present.
Advocate Dinakar Compered the programme and delivered the vote of thanks.