A Biographical Sketch of a Pioneer

Mr. V. S. Kudva
1899 to 1967

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (678x965, 83 KB) Summary From the family of Late V S Kudva. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (678x965, 83 KB) Summary From the family of Late V S Kudva. ...

Life in Mulky

Mr. Vaman Srinivas Kudva or V. S. Kudva as he was popularly called was born in a conservative, and traditional Gowda Saraswath Brahmin (GSB) family (the family was known as the Mulky Kudvas) on the 9 June 1899 at Mulky. His father Srinivas Ramachandra Kudva owned a small handloom unit and used to cycle to work, when cars were unknown in Mulky. Brought up in simple surroundings Kudva had his primary school education at Mulky and high school education at Udupi. He took active part in school debates and was a good writer both in English and Kannada. The Saraswat Brahmins claim descent from a Brahmin caste mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures as inhabiting the Saraswati River valley, the geographic location of which is not known. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Udupi is a temple town located in Udupi District, near Mangalore, Karnataka state on the south west coast of India. ...

Early Education

His father shifted to Udipi in 1908 and started a hardware shop, where Mr. V. S. Kudva spent his spare time. In 1918 he passed the Intermediate exam from the Government College, Mangalore and went to Bombay and joined the Mechanical Engineering Course at the Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Bombay (VJTI). After 3 years as a top ranking student, he gave up his studies in response to Mahatma Gandhi's non cooperation movement and returned to Udipi. He worked as a volunteer teacher in a national school started by the Congress Party under Gandhiji's call to replace English aided schools. Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) (formerly known as Victoria Jubilee Technological Institute) is an engineering college in Mumbai, India (established 1887). ... This article or section should be merged with Mumbai Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) is the worlds most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world. ... Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) (formerly known as Victoria Jubilee Technological Institute) is an engineering college in Mumbai, India (established 1887). ... Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી) October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948) was a major political and spiritual leader of India, and the Indian independence movement. ... The Non-Cooperation Movement was the first-ever series of nationwide peoples movements of nonviolent resistance, led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. ... The Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party) is the largest subscription-based organisation in the world. ...

Joins the CPC Company Limited

From 1922 to 1926 he started an engineering workshop, and in 1926 he went to Mangalore in response to the call of Mr. V. S. Kamath, the then Managing Director of The Canara Public Conveyance Co. Ltd. (CPC Co Ltd), and joined it as its Works Manager. In 1928 he married V. S. Kamath's daughter. In 1932 he became its General Manager on the death of Mr. V. S. Kamath. In 1938 he was elected Managing Director of the Company and continued in that position till 1966. During his regime The CPC Co Ltd progressed and prospered and earned a great name in the country. Mangalore , (called Mangalūru in Kannada), is the chief port city of the state of Karnataka, India. ...

Starts new industries

Mr. V. S. Kudva had realised that to provide employment and in keeping with enterprising spirit of the peoples more and more industries must be set up. He put his conviction into practice. In 1938 he founded The Canara Sales Corporation Ltd. and in 1941 he started The Canara Motor & General Insurance Co. Ltd.

He founded The Canara Workshops Ltd. in 1943 and started manufacturing the famous Canara Springs in 1950. Considering the increased demand in Northern India he opened another factory in Nagpur. In 1947 he started The Canara Tyre & Rubber Works Ltd. He also started and managed several other transport concerns.

Interests in Journalism

Even during his student days he was interested in Journalism. In 1922 he edited the Kannada Weekly "Sathyagrahi". From 1923 to 1934 he worked as editor of Kannada Weekly "Swadeshabhimani". He was also a member of State Journalists Advisory Committee. In 1941 he started The Newspaper Publishers Pvt Ltd. which then published the Kannada daily "Navabharath". As its editor he earned the respect of Kannada Journalists, and also organised the Akhila Karnataka Journalist conference in Mangalore.

Social Leader

He was one of the founder directors of the Syndicate Bank, then called the Canara Industrial and Banking Syndicate Ltd, along with two stalwarts and great visionaries Dr. T. M. A. Pai, and Mr. Upendra Ananth Pai of Manipal. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Manipal is a small town in state of Karnataka, India. ...

In 1948 he was elected President of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, South Kanara and continued as President for the next 3 years. Along with his great friend U Srinivas Mallya he was instrumental in bringing the all weather port as also the airport to Mangalore. U Srinivas Mallya 1902 to 1965 U. Srinivas Mallya who was also called Malliah in North India or Sheenappa Mallya in Dakshina Kannada is the architect of Modern Canara District or master planner and a true politician. ...

When he worked for the economic welfare of the district, he also contributed immensely in its educational progress. He started the Canara Foundation in 1955 for giving Loan Scholarship for students going abroad for higher technical education. Once again along with U Srinivas Mallya he was also responsible for bringing the Karnataka Regional Engineering College now called National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NITK) at Suratkal, and he was on its Governing body for several years. U Srinivas Mallya 1902 to 1965 U. Srinivas Mallya who was also called Malliah in North India or Sheenappa Mallya in Dakshina Kannada is the architect of Modern Canara District or master planner and a true politician. ... The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) is one of the premier institutes of technology in India. ... The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) is one of the premier institutes of technology in India. ...

Rotary Club

He was responsible for starting a Rotary Club in Mangalore of which he was the Charter President. He was President of the S. K. Development and Welfare Board, Small Scale Industries Association and S. K. Village Industries Association. Logo of Rotary International Rotary International is an organisation whose members comprise Rotary Clubs (service clubs) located all over the world. ...

He traveled widely in India, and abroad. This was during the days when travelling out of India was arduous and rare. He had been to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States in 1951. In 1960 and in 1963 he traveled once again to Europe, the United States and Japan.

Last

To those people of Mangalore and Dakhina Kannada who still remember him, he is fondly known as a "Karmayogi". He was a hard worker all his life, and always said that total dedication to hard work was the secret to success. Very few achieved by hard work and integrity what Mr. V. S. Kudva did in his lifetime. On the 30 June 1967 he breathed his last. June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

Reference

• Information and image provided by the estate of the Late V. S. Kudva.