Santhosh Shetty reelected KWAR prez, Muzaffar Ali vice-prez; Nelson D'souza new gen secretary

Media Release
October 31, 2017

Riyadh, Oct 31: The 10th annual general body meeting of Karavali Welfare Association Riyadh (KWAR) was held on October 27 at a Famed Restaurant Auditorium in Riyadh. The meeting started around 1.30pm post lunch.

Nitin Rai Kukkuvalli, resident editor of VK Newz, the key man of KWAR with a bundle of talents welcomed the guests and explained KWAR’s contribution to fellow Indians especially to people from coastal Karnataka working in Saudi Arabia.

P.M. Bhaskar then handled the program and invited the office bearers of KWAR’s existing committee comprised of president Santhosh Shetty, vice president Muzaffar Ali, general secretary Shashidhar Haridas, joint secretary victor Menezes and treasurer Nelson Dsouza, and ex-president and adviser Ramesh Shetty to the dais.

Outgoing president Santhosh Shetty in his keynote address, stressed the need for unity among KWAR members, thanked all the office bearers, executive members, members and well-wishers who supported him during his reign as president of KWAR in its 9th year.

An illustrated presentation was followed by KWAR’s Acting General Secretary Victor Menezes who briefed the audience about the KWAR programs, achievements and charity works during the period 2016-2017 which was well understood by the gathered crowd.

Nelson Dsouza, who had a great stint as treasurer of KWAR gave a brief regarding financial statements reflecting all the positive financial aspects of KWAR as a successful organization. The specialty of Nelson Dsouza’s simplicity and his love for KWARs cause was well entrenched by his address in Tulu as well as native Kannada which was well appreciated.

The core issue of the day began with the outgoing president dissolving all the committees and sub-committees. A specially appointed election committee represented by Jagannath Shetty (Consultants to Royal Commission of Jubail & Yanbu Ksa), Jatyarama Shetty (Sr. Finance Manager KANOO Group) and Jagadish Alva (Finance, Carrier Saudia) were given the task of conducting the election procedure and to elect the new president, vice president and all the other important portfolios of KWAR executive committee.

The election commissioners gave each member a chance to represent himself and the overwhelming enthusiasm shown by members justified the elected member’s love for KWAR as well as upholding the unity of KWAR. Apparently, the election commissioners had the pleasure of announcing the unanimous re-election of outgoing president, vice-president, and unanimous election of new general secretary Nelson Dsouza, treasurer Mahesh Hegde, joint secretary Victor Menezes and Irfan Aboobaker, joint treasurer Suresh Raj Suvarna, Ramesh Shetty and Rajesh Kumar (were nominated as Advisors) as well as other office bearers of KWAR team 2017-2018. Mahesh Hegde thanked all the 3 election commissioners for their unbiased election process and wished them to be part of KWARs upcoming events.

After being reelected as president, Santosh Shetty thanked all the members for reiterating their faith in his leadership. Santhosh shetty, who is a well-known organizer and social worker, promised to maintain the unity of KWAR at any cost with his dedication and love for the organization. Santhosh Shetty has been nominated by Embassy of India to represent Indian migrant workers and if any Indians have any grievances they are welcome to contact him. He requested all non-resident Kannadigas and especially those from coastal Karnataka to support the KWAR activities in coming days specially its blood donation camp (scheduled on 26th Jan 2018) and upcoming food festival and sports days. The Grand evening came to an end with the recitation Indian national anthem.

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News Network
November 26,2025

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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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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Udupi: The pontiffs of Sri Paryaya Puttige Mutt, the sacred seat of Jagadguru Shrimad Madhvacharya Moola Samsthanam, have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister seeking comprehensive development for Udupi district. 

Proposal for International Airport

A key request is the establishment of an international airport. Highlighting that around 1,000 acres of land are available and suitable, the pontiffs noted that the existing Mangalore Airport provides limited international connectivity. They suggested the airport be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or as a Greenfield Airport to boost trade, education, healthcare, and spiritual tourism.

Metro and Rapid Transit Connectivity

The proposal also calls for Metro Rail or Rapid Transit between Mangaluru and Udupi. The 55 km coastal stretch experiences heavy daily commuter traffic, causing congestion. The district administration is ready to prepare an initial project report for a Mass Rapid Transit corridor and requested inclusion under national urban mobility programmes to ensure safe, green, and time-efficient regional transport.

Port and Coastal Development

The pontiffs urged the development of an international-standard port with a cruise terminal along Udupi’s coast. They also requested fast-tracking of pending coastal tourism projects and revising Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms to encourage sustainable infrastructure and hospitality investment.

IT, AI and Technological Infrastructure

Support was sought for an IT and AI Innovation Park with incubation facilities under Digital India and Startup India initiatives. The proposal also emphasized the need for strengthened data security and cloud computing infrastructure to boost India’s technological independence.

Sports and Education Initiatives

The pontiffs requested national sports status for Kambala, along with financial and infrastructure support. They also sought the establishment of an AIIMS in Udupi, a new IIT campus, and approval for an IIM to promote higher education in the district.

Representation to the Prime Minister

Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Pontiff and Sri Sushrendra Tirtha Swamiji represented the pontiffs in submitting the comprehensive development proposal to the Prime Minister during his recent visit.

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