Ujire: Kashmir Menezes (80), the retired headmaster of the Sri Manjunatheshwara Government Kannada Medium High School in Dharmasthala and the retired warden of the "Ratnamanasa" students' hostel, which was run under the patronage of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, passed away on Wednesday night in Mangalore after a brief illness.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Kashmir Menezes, who was deeply involved in providing life education to high school students, joined the "Ratnamanasa" students' hostel in 1972 when it was first established. The hostel offered life skills training alongside traditional school education, covering subjects like farming, dairying, gardening, cooking, and more. Menezes served as the warden of the hostel, contributing significantly to its growth and impact.
Later, he was appointed as a graduate assistant teacher at the local S.D.M. Secondary School, where he continued to serve the community. He was also instrumental in starting the "Bhavik Krishikara Sangha" under the sponsorship of the Syndicate Bank's Agricultural Foundation. Through this initiative, he provided specialized training and guidance in agriculture and gardening to students at the school and "Ratnamanasa."
Menezes encouraged self-reliant living by teaching students various skills like dairy farming, account management, animal care, cooking, gardening, and other hands-on tasks. His contributions were pivotal in fostering self-sufficiency and life skills among the students.
After his promotion to headmaster, he was transferred to the Dharmasthala High School, from where he eventually retired.
Following his passing, Dharmasthala's Dharmadhikari, D. Veerendra Heggade, expressed deep sorrow and offered prayers for his soul to rest in peace.
Heggade also acknowledged the immense respect and recognition Menezes earned for his outstanding service as a teacher and warden at "Ratnamanasa" and his contributions to the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project. Menezes's guidance and training helped many communities, especially in the field of agriculture, by forming self-help groups and encouraging a self-reliant lifestyle. His work is greatly respected by all the students and communities he served.