Pattada.C.Uthayya

Pattada.C.Uthayya (1891-1964) born in Kodagu was the second son of P.B.Chengappa, a sub registrar in the British Government. Uthayya served as a teacher, District Education Officer and a politician. He was the first Kodava teacher and the first Kodava to hold the post of the District Education Officer.

Family

Father

Pattada B Chengappa

Education

• Secondary education – Central High school, Madikeri
• Graduation-Maharaja’s College, Mysore
• Law- Erankulam (left halfway as his teacher, Rev Richter summoned him to take up English teaching at his Alma mater).
• B.Ed course- Saidapet College in Madras

Achievements

• He was under the watchful eye of Reverend Richter, a popular English teacher, who made extensive studies on heritage of Kodagu.
• After he took up English teaching, he became the first Kodava teacher ever to take up teaching. The Government later sent him to do a B. Ed course at Saidapet College in Madras.
• While teaching, he impressed upon his superiors to start a higher secondary school at Virajpet. So he was entrusted the task of starting one, and he was promoted as the Head Master of the Government High school, Virajpet.
• Uthayya was instrumental in starting the Scout movement in Coorg and he raised the first hockey & cricket team which toured Mysore & other places and won accolades all over.
•  When the Government was reluctant to sanction funds for a school ground, he took it as a challenge and got a playground made with the help of students under ” Shramadhaan ” program.( the present Junior College grounds).
• Uthayya was subsequently promoted as Inspector of schools, where he not only had to start schools all over Coorg, but also had to convince parents to send their wards to school.
• He later had the distinction of being the first Kodava to hold the post of the District Education Officer, till his retirement in 1946.
• After retirement, he took active in co operative movement & later shifted to politics and was elected as MLA in the Coorg State.
• Later, in 1951, when Congress party split over the issue of Coorg merging with Mysore, he won on the ‘Seperatist’ ticket and fought against merging Coorg with Mysore, till the end.
• Uthayya died in a road accident in December 1964, while returning home from Virajpet federation, where he was serving as the President.
• Uthayya, was one of the founders of Kodava Samaj, Virajpet & the Poomale mandh.
• Uthayya was one of the heroes who was facilitated with nari mangala