Campco founder president Varanasi Subraya Bhat dies at 87

December 27, 2013

Bantwal, Dec 27: Varanasi Subraya Bhat, founder president of Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Ltd. (CAMPCO) passed away at his residence in Adyanadka in Bantwal taluk due to age-related deceases on Friday morning at around 4 p.m.

He was 87. Bhat is survived by two sons and two daughters.

The Campco factory which was set up in 1973 at Puttur was the brainchild of Mr Bhat, who was a cooperative leader.

The Campco's chocolate factory at Puttur is South India's only such factory and the country's second chocolate factory in the cooperative sector. The other chocolate factory belonging to Amul (Anand Milk Union Ltd.) was in Gujarat.

Campco was set up when cocoa growers in this coastal belt were in panic after the principle buyer of cocoa, which was a private company, suddenly stopped buying cocoa during the peak cocoa season citing slump in international cocoa price.

It forced the Campco to enter the cocoa market. With the financial assistance from the Union and State governments, the Campco set up the chocolate factory for creating market for cocoa. The then President of India Giani Zail Singh inaugurated the factory on September 1, 1986.

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Mangaluru Tees Off Big: Golf Excellence Academy to Open at Pilikula

News Network

February 1,2026

The coastal city of Mangaluru is gearing up for a major sporting milestone with the launch of a Golf Excellence Academy at the Pilikula Golf Club (PGC), scheduled to open on May 31. The initiative aims to position Mangaluru firmly on India’s national golfing map.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday during PGC’s first-ever floodlit Pro-Am tournament, club captain Manoj Kumar Shetty said the project is being funded by UAE-based philanthropist Michael D’Souza and is currently in the design phase. Experts from leading golf academies across the country are expected to visit Mangaluru to help shape the training programme and infrastructure.

The academy will train 20 young golfers at a time, with a long-term vision of producing national-level players from the region. Until now, PGC relied on an in-house coach, but the recent renovation of the course and the introduction of floodlights have opened new possibilities for expanding the sport.

Shetty said discussions are underway with two reputed coaching academies, whose heads are expected to visit PGC shortly. “A dormitory for trainers is already under construction. We are inviting academies to assess the facilities and suggest changes so we can build a truly world-class Golf Excellence Academy,” he said.

Professional golfer Aryan Roopa Anand noted that the floodlit course would be a game-changer for young players. “Students can now practise after school hours, even up to 8 or 9 pm, without compromising on academics,” he said.

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