Mangaluru, April 22 – The ‘Silver Jubilee Celebration’ (Rajat Sambhrama) of the Navodaya Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of the Navodaya Grama Charitable Trust will be held on May 10 at 10 AM at Goldfinch City in Bangra Kuloor. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the event, said Dr. M.N. Rajendra Kumar, founder of the Navodaya Grama Vikas Charitable Trust, who shared the details in a press conference.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will distribute benefits to members of the Navodaya SHGs. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will release the souvenir titled Santripti. Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader will hoist the cooperative flag. Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Prahlad V. Joshi, will present awards to outstanding Navodaya groups.
Dr. M.N. Rajendra Kumar, President of the The South Canara District Central Cooperative Bank and founder of the Navodaya Grama Vikas Charitable Trust, will preside over the event. Rajya Sabha Member D. Veerendra Heggade and Sri Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamiji of Pejawar Matha, Udupi, will bless the gathering.
Other key dignitaries attending include: Co-operative Minister K.N. Rajanna, former Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Agriculture Market Minister Shivananda Patil, Excise Minister R.B. Thimmapur, former ministers Laxman Savadi and G.T. Devegowda, and ISRO Chairman Dr. Uday Shankar Awasthi, among others.
Nearly 5 lakh women who have achieved self-reliance through Navodaya SHGs are part of the movement across 10 districts in Karnataka. This Silver Jubilee event aims to serve as a national model. Around 1.5 lakh SHG members, all dressed in uniform, are expected to gather in Mangaluru for the event, said Rajendra Kumar.
At the press meet, Vice-President Vinay Kumar Surinje, bank directors Bhaskar S. Kotian, Shashikumar Rai B., Deviprasad Shetty Belapu, K. Jairaj B., Rai Monappa Shetty Ekkaru, Chief Executive Financial Officer Gopalakrishna Bhat K., Navodaya Trustees Meghraj R. Jain, Sunil Kumar Bajagoli, Jayaprakash Tumbe, and Trust CEO Poornima Shetty were also present.