Veerendra Heggade
Veerendra Heggade | |
|---|---|
Heggade at SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 25 November 1948 Bantwal, Mysore State, Dominion of India (present–day Karnataka, India) |
| Other names | Heggade/Pergade,Kavandaru, Dharmarathna, Dharmabhushana |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Jainism |
| Religious career | |
| Based in | Dharmastala, Karnataka, India |
| Post | (Hereditary administrator) of Dharmasthala Temple |
| Period in office | 1968 - present |
| Predecessor | Ratnavarma Heggade |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Karnataka) | |
| Assumed office 7 July 2022 | |
| Nominated by | Ramnath Kovind |
| Constituency | Nominated (Social work) |
| Website | www |
| Part of a series on |
| Jainism |
|---|
Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade[1] (born 25 November 1948) is an Indian philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Hindu Dharmasthala Temple in the Indian state of Karnataka. He succeeded to the post at the age of 19, on 24 October 1968, the 21st in his line.[2] He administers the temple and its properties, which are held in trust. He is a nominated Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since July 2022.
He was awarded the Karnataka Ratna award for the year 2009, the highest civilian award in Karnataka.[3]
On 6 July 2022 he was nominated as Rajya Sabha member by President Ram Nath Kovind.[4]
His tenure at Dharmasthala has been marked by controversy, including unresolved rape and murder cases and allegations of cover-ups by temple officials and his family members.[5][6]
Personal life
Heggade is the eldest son of Dharmadhikari Ratnavarma Heggade and Rathnamma Heggade (née Shetty). He belongs to the Pergade dynasty of Tulu Jain Bunt[7] lineage, the hereditary trustees of the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy temple in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. The family are trustees of a Hindu temple, although the family belong to the Digambara Jain community.[8]
Work
He runs the Annapoorna kitchen at Dharmasthala, which is one of the largest and oldest family-run kitchens in India. The kitchen feeds around 50,000 persons every day. It was featured on the National Geographic TV show, "Mega Kitchens".[9]
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.[10]
Awards and honours
- Padma Bhushan Award (2000) for social work and Communal Harmony (India's third-highest civilian award)[11][12]
- Rajarshi title from President of India, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, in 1993[13]
- The State Government selected Heggade for Karnataka Ratna title for 2009.[14]
- P. V. Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India presented Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry award for Rural Development activities in Belthangady Taluk by Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) on 12 May 1995.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India presented Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry award for Rural Development & Self Employment activities by RUDSET Institute on 20 November 1999.
- "Vatika Varshada Kannadiga – 2004" by ETV Kannada at Hassan on 20 November 2004[15]
- Padma Vibhushan (2015) by the Government of India for social work[16]
- Sri Bhagavan Mahaveera Peace Award by Government of Karnataka
Controversies
Sowjanya Murder Case
Sowjanya, a 17-year-old student, was raped and murdered in Dharmasthala in 2012, and the case remains unresolved, with the accused acquitted in 2023 due to lack of evidence.[17] Activists and the victim's family accuse influential figures, possibly connected to Heggade, of shielding the real culprits. Additionally, reports highlight around 462 unnatural deaths in Dharmasthala over 10 years (up to 2013), suggesting a pattern of systemic issues.[18]
In response, Heggade has stated that the name of Dharmasthala is being tarnished by those opposing its progress and has emphasized his commitment to serving the community despite facing criticism.[19]
Furthermore, in July 2025, a former sanitation worker employed by the Dharmasthala temple administration between 1995 and 2014 alleged that he was coerced by influential figures to burn and bury the bodies of hundreds of rape and murder victims at various sites around Dharmasthala. The police registered a case under section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and are seeking court permission to exhume the alleged burial sites to verify his claims.[5][6]
References
- ^ "Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade | PRSIndia". PRS Legislative Research. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
- ^ Long, Roger D.; Wolpert, Stanley A. (2004). Charisma and Commitment in South Asian History. Orient Blackswan. p. 369. ISBN 978-81-250-2641-9.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Bhandari, Shashwat (6 July 2022). "Celebrated athlete PT Usha, Philanthropist Veerendra Heggade among 4 nominated for Rajya Sabha". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ a b "'Have buried hundreds of bodies': former sanitation worker alleges cover-up of murders in Karnataka's Dharmasthala". The Indian Express. 7 July 2025 – via indianexpress.com.
- ^ a b "Ex-Karnataka sanitation worker claims he burnt bodies of rape victims for year: 'One was schoolgirl in uniform with bag'". Hindustan Times. 6 July 2025.
- ^ "Who is Dr Veerendra Heggade from Karnataka and why his nomination to Rajya Sabha matters". 7 July 2022.
- ^ Rons Bantwal (11 October 2011). "Dharmadhikari Dr. D Veerendra Heggade Lauds Social Welfare of Bunts Sangh". Daijiworld. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Darmasthala kitchen to feature in Geographic channel". Business Standard. 22 June 2015 – via www.Business-standard.com.
- ^ "Profile of Padma Bhushan Dr. D.V Heggade". The Hindu. 15 September 2011 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015.
- ^ "Shri. Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade". Archived from the original on 31 January 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ^ Mangalore, Mangalore Today. "Karnataka Ratna for Dharmadhikari, Dr Veerendra Heggade". mangaloretoday.com.
- ^ "Karnataka / Hassan News : Veerendra Heggade given 'Vatika Varshada Kannadiga' award". The Hindu. 22 November 2004. Archived from the original on 13 January 2005.
- ^ "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015.
- ^ "Mystery of Dharmasthala: Eleven years and many probes later, no trace of Soujanya's killer Premium". TheHindu. 28 July 2023 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ "Protesters demand probe into all unnatural deaths in Dharmasthala". TheHindu. 16 November 2021 – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ The News Minute "Name of Dharmasthala being misused, says Veerendra Heggade"