D. Veerendra Heggade is an Indian philanthropist and the hereditary administrator/Dharmadhikari of the Dharmasthala Temple. He succeeded to the post at the age of 19, on 24 October 1968, the 21st in his line. He administers the temple and its properties, which are held in trust for the benefit of devotees and of Dharma. He has received multiple awards for his many contributions. He was awarded the Karnataka Ratna award for the year 2009, the highest civilian award in Karnataka.
Personal life
Heggade was born the eldest son of Dharmadhikari Ratnavarma Heggade and Rathnamma Heggade. He belongs to the Pergade dynasty of Tulu Lineage, the hereditary trustees of the famous Sri DharmasthalaManjunatha Swamy temple in South Kanara district of Karnataka. The family are trustees of a Hindu temple, although the family are of the Jain religion. They belong to the Digambara Jain. He has three younger brothers, Harshendra Kumar, Surendra Kumar and Rajendra Kumar, and a sister, Padmalata. He married Hemavathi Heggade in a match arranged by their parents. Veerendra Heggade and Hemavathy Heggadthi are the parents of daughter Shraddha. As the eldest son, Veerendra Heggade succeeded his father as Dharmadhikari. He is the twenty-first member of the Pergade dynasty to hold the position of Dharmadhikari of the Dharmasthala Temple. As he has no sons, his heir is his younger brother, Harshendra. Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade is a car collector and photography aficionado. His car collection is on display in Dharmastala.
Works and contributions
Dharmadhikari
As Dharmadhikari, he has continued the traditions of the institution:
He continued the tradition of the Kshetra to hold annual ‘Sarva Dharma and Sahitya Sammelana’ at Dharmasthala. The 85th Session of the Sammelana was held in 2017.
Heggade has reached beyond his administrative role:
He publishes a publication series and a monthly journal Manjuvani.
To propagate Naturopathy, Yoga and Moral Education, 400 Teachers of High Schools and Primary Schools train more than 30,000 students every year in Yoga, Moral and Spiritual Education.
He contributed to the revival of Yakshagana by maintaining pure traditional approach.
Manjusha is a Museum that displays rare collections of antiques and contemporary rare and valuable collections. A Vintage Car Museum attached to this Museum has vehicles from many Nations.
4000 Palm-leaf manuscripts are preserved and research is conducted by Scholars for "Sri Manjunatheshwara Samskrithi Samshodhana Prathistana"
Social welfare
He offered a Free Mass Marriage every year in Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala since 1972. 10,000 couples had been wedded under this scheme by April 2004.
He constructed marriage halls at Bangalore, Kallahalli, Bhadravathi, Mysore, Shravanabelagola and Bantwal for the benefit of middle and low-income people.
He introduced a rural development project, in the Coastal District of Karnataka, comprising 600 villages and six urban towns. The project facilitates empowerment of 1,350,000 families in agriculture, transfer of technology, women empowerment, housing, alternative sources of energy, income generating activity, micro finance, education and health.
He has been promoted the importance of solar energy and provided facilities to several villages.
He established the Rural Development and Self-Employment Training Institute in collaboration with Syndicate Bank, Syndicate Agricultural Foundation and Canara Bank to train rural un-youth for Self-Employment and Volunteers for Rural Development in 1982. Since then 20 branches of the RUDSETI have arisen across India. Up to June 2004, 1,500,000 youths have been trained and the employment rate is 65%.
He hosted national seminars including the one on "Rural India Real India" to mark Syndicate Bank's diamond jubilee.
Education
He introduced Post graduate course at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College, Ujire.
He started SDMIMD College Mysore which evolved into a top Business college in India.
He started Rathnamanasa, a model hostel with training in Agriculture, Horticulture, Dairying and a concept of future farmers and citizens for high school boys at Ujire.
He started Sri Siddavana Gurukula, a model hostel for college students at Ujire to inspire students in agriculture, moral education and training in leadership programmes.
He is the President of SDM Educational Society, Ujire, which manages educational institutions from primary to engineering, medical, ayurvedic and management institutes as well as hospitals.
