Special Olympics medalists get a rousing welcome in city

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Savitha B R)

July 8, 2011

Mangalore, July 8: The youngsters with special abilities, who have made the twin-district of coastal Karnataka proud by winning four gold medals and two bronze medals in the just-concluded Special Olympics in Athens, were given a grand welcome on Friday in the city.

Master Royston Pinto (20), country's fastest skater among special persons, who works in a private bank, Dhanya Rao (14), who has won medals in national level meets, and Anli Mendoca, a Student of St Agnes Special School are the Special Olympics medalists from Mangalore. Pramila Pinto (20) is from Pambur in Udupi.

While Royston won the 1,000 M speed skating race in the higher ability category, Dhanya, bagged two gold medals, one in the 30 M Slalom Race where she had to make snake-like movement between five equidistant cones and 30 M Straight Line Race, in the lower ability category. Pramila, who participated in the lower ability category but in the higher age group, bagged gold in 30 M Straight Line and bronze in 30 M Slalom Race. Anil Mendonca bagged a bronze medal in volleyball.

Soon after the four achievers arrived at KSRTC Bus Stand at around 9:30 am, they were on a grand procession through PVS Circle to Chetana Bala Vikasa Kendra, where Asha Jyothi, a forum for the physically challenged and their parents, honoured them in the presence of Mayor Praveen Anchan, MCC Commissioner KN Vijayaprakash, Zilla Panchayat President KT Shailaja Bhat and other dignitaries.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Vijayaprakash said that medalists have set a model for the entire country by overcoming their disabilities through hard work and commitment.

Mayor Anchan announced that a cash award of Rs 50,000 would be given to each winners from the MCC, while Ms Bhat said that ZP would give incentives to them.

After receiving the felicitation all the four medalists expressed their whole hearted gratitude to their parents, coaches, for their support and cooperation and also thanked the people for their encouragement.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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