Rons Bantwal
Mangaluru, Mar 31: “The 'Vayovandana' hospitality home, being constructed by the GSB Samaja Hitarakshana Vedike, will serve as a beacon of hope and support for childless senior citizens during the sunset years of their lives. If the entire community joins hands with a unified spirit, this ambitious project will reach completion very soon,” said Vedamurthy M Vittal Bhat.
He was presiding over the consultative meeting of the 'Vayovandana Ashraya Griha' project held on Saturday evening at the Sri Kudtheri Mahamaya Temple hall, Car Street.
CA Gopalakrishna Bhat, founder of Trisha Vidya College, Udupi, presented a detailed blueprint of the project. He explained that the facility would not only provide food, accommodation, and medical care but would also incorporate continuous engagement activities to boost the morale and life expectancy of the residents.
The chief guest, CA S S Nayak, president of Vidya Poshaka Nidhi, handed over a cheque of Rs 8 lac for the sponsorship of one room, fulfilling a pledge he had made on his mother’s birthday.
Vedamurthy Chempi Ramachandra Anantha Bhat of Udupi Anantha Vaidika Kendra lauded the community's overwhelming response in providing donations and expressed hope that the building would soon be ready for its beneficiaries.
Sachith Pai, a civil engineer from Udbhava Design Studio, Manipal, who is the architectural consultant for the project, provided technical details. He stated that the 56,000 sq ft building will consist of three floors with 24 rooms each, totaling 72 rooms capable of accommodating 144 seniors.
R Vivekananda Shenoy, convener of GSB Samaja Hitarakshana Vedike and the visionary behind the project, delivered the introductory remarks. He noted that over the past 14 years, the Vedike has expanded its initiatives—including the Kutumba Chaitanya Nidhi, Vidya Poshaka Nidhi, and health insurance schemes—across Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, and Uttara Kannada districts.
"The Vayovandana project is our most ambitious yet. While the primary goal is to provide free stay for childless seniors, we will also offer paid facilities for elderly couples whose children are residing abroad and are facing loneliness," Shenoy added.
Dignitaries present on the dais included Mangaluru Sri Venkataramana Temple trustees Ganesh Kamath and Kiran Pai, Manjeshwar Mohandas Kamath of Kuwait GSB Samaj, social worker Pushpa Prabhu, and Vidya Poshaka Nidhi convener Vijaykumar Shenoy.
Raghunath Prabhu, Mangaluru zonal convener of the Vayovandana project, welcomed the gathering. Sanur Narasimha Kamath, general secretary of the Vedike, compered the programme and proposed the vote of thanks.