Dr Muckatira Mandanna Chengappa

Dr Muckatira Mandanna Chengappa, born in Devanageri village, Virajpet  18^th of July  1918 to Mukkatira  Ummavva and Mandanna, and grand son of Rao Bahdur Mukkatira  Aiyappa. He had a passion for education and felt the need of providing education for the children of Kodagu. His contribution in establishing the education institutions is immense and ever remembered. 

Family

Grandfather

Sri Rao Bahadur Mukkatira Aiyappa

Father

Mukkatira Mandanna

Mother

Ummavva Mandanna

Spouse

Mathanda Padmini 

Children

Dr  Mukkatira C Kariappa ( Karun )

Education and Profession

 Schooling was completed at Virajpet Govt. School, Intermedidte at St Aloysius College Mangalore,and MBBS at the prestegious Madras Medical College. At that time he was an active participant in the freedom struggle of India. He led a group of medical students to Bengal in 1944 to treat thousands of people in the epidemic of Cholera and small pox under the guidance of Dr Bidan Chandra Roy.

After the completion of medical studies he joined the Army Medical Service in 1945 and served till 1947 in places like Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He came to Coorg in 1947 and joined the Government service and served at Somwarpet and Virajpet . He started private practice in 1950. He started the Virajpet Nursing home in 1962 and worked professionally till 1982.

Public Activities:-

Organizations:

1. He was the President of the Town Co-operative bank 1962 -70. He reorganised a collapsing bank and turned it to a well organised one.
2. He ran the Coorg Ex-servicemens Cooperative Transport society from 1952 to 1965.
3. President of the Kodava Samaj. Virajpet from 1965 and was instrumental in acquiring the land and also putting up the original building of the Samaj.

    He gave up all social organizations from 1977 to take up full time responsibility in politics.

Politics:

He was a student leader in the Medical college during the freedom struggle.He was an active member of the Praja Socialist Party in 1957. During the emergency he joined the Janata Party and was the District President. With the split of this he became the President of the Bharathia Janata Party. He was the Vice President of Karnataka BJP from 1983 to 1994. He was instrumental in the BJP winning all the 3 assembly seats in Kodau District. He retired from politics in October 1995 to offer his services for more deserving causes.

Education:

His passion was education of the children and especially girls. He started the Mid Day meal programme in Devangeri even before the authorities even thought about it. He has helped innumerable children with financial aid for their education including study abroad.

1. He was the President of the B C High School, Devenageri from 1969 to 2006.
2. He was the President of the Jayaprakash Narayan Girls High school from 1973 to 2007..
3. President of Cauvery Education Society, Ginkoppa from 1983 to 2007.During this period there was all round progress with buildings and land especially at Virajpet , introduction of newer courses like the BBM, establishment of the Polytechnic college at Goikoppa,  and the NAC accredition of the colleges at Gonikoppa and Virajpet.

In all his activities he was steadfastly supported by his wife Padmini . After her demise in 1996 he took up the challenge of the K E S.

• He was the founder President of the Kodava Education Society, Ponnampet, established in 1997 till 2008. The Coorg Institute of Technology under this banner is now a well established Engineering college in our state.

He always said and practiced “THINK GLOBAL AND ACT LOCAL”

Throughout his various activities he always maintained the humility and understanding of the people around him and said “” Whatever institutions I was privileged to lead, I owe their growth and success to all my member colleagues of the managing committee who shared the burden with me and to the benevolent individual and institutional donors who came forward to support our cause. Above all I humbly bow before the all pervading Supreme Power who is the architect of all our actions and we are only His Instruments.””

Achievements

• He was inspired by great National leaders like Sri Jaya Prakash Naryan and in his memory he named the girls high school as “Jai Prakash Narayan Girls High School” in Virajpet.
•  President of Kodava Samaj.He put up the first structure of Kodava Samaj in Virajpet.
• He was the leader of a contingent of Doctors and students in Bengal to combat smallpox and Cholera epidemic under the leadership of BC Roy and served for 3months in 10 Villages.
• He served in the Armed forces Medical care from 1945to 1947 in Hongkong, Singapore and Malaysia as a Captain.
• He served as a private Medical Practitioner in Virajpet from 1951 to 1982.
• He was the founder of PSP Party in Kodagu and joined the Janatha party in 1976 and served as a District President.
• He served as the state Vice –President of BJP from 1983 to 1994.
• After his retirement from Politics in 1995 he re-organized the Town Co-Operative bank in Virajpet
• He was the founder of ex- service Transport Co-Operative Society in 1951 and served as a Secretary and President for 15 years.
• He was the President of Devanageri High School from 1971-2007.
• In 1933 he founded the Lokamanya J P High School for girls in Virajpet and served as the president till 2007.
• He served as the President of Cauvery Education Society from 1997-2007.
• He worked hard with a team of dedicated Kodavas to collect a corps to establish an Engineering College in the year 1999.