Selfless service to mother land

Hi friends, the following article is written by me to publish on our newly launched family site Kasaragod kamaths about my father Late Sri. Devadasa Kamath. Though I am not directly involved in this website, I contribute a little through my articles. I feel proud to post it here before publishing it on my family site.

Kasargod is a beautiful place situated on the northern end of Kerala State which was the centre stage of many political activities for many decades. Gowda Saraswath Brahmin or GSB was a prominent community in this area and most of the members of this affluent section of society were patriotic in nature and even this statement holds good for the present generation also. Members of GSB community never lagged behind in any social and religious activities which were initiated for the betterment of society and when Mahatma Gandhi gave a nationwide call for freedom struggle through non violence means, large number of GSB members jumped in to the fray without any second thoughts.

Kasaragod kamaths was a one of the few respected families of GSB community and many of these family members took active role in the freedom struggle and Late Sri. Devadasa Kamath was one among them. Born on 15.07.1919,to Sri. Krishna Kamath and Smt Pandhari Bai, he discontinued his school education after passing 8^th standard and started his own business to give financial support to his parents. The period between1930 to 1942 was very important as far as freedom movement in Kasaragod was concerned and under the leadership and guidance of Moodubidire Umesh Rao, many youngsters participated in each and every activity which was aimed to release Mother Land from the clutches of foreigners. In the initial stages, young Devadas was observing all the injustices done towards his fellow countrymen as a mute spectator due to his family problems but could not resist for longer time and became part and parcel of freedom movement and turned a close associate of Umesh Rao. In 1932, he participated in forest movement, followed by famous quit India movement and jailed and suffered imprisonment at famous Bellary Jail for about a year from 06.10.1942 to 21.08.1943. Even after his release from jail, he continued his activities till we got independence. He was honored by Govt of India by “Tamra Patra”. As a testimony to his selfless service to his mother land, he has donated all the

land received from the Government to Acharya Vinobha Bave’s social cause Sarvodaya. Even he was reluctant to receive monthly pension meant for political sufferers for about 5 years and only when he faced financial problem because of ill health he opted for it.

He was a staunch follower of Mahatma and never stopped using khadi cloths till his last breath. His belief on his favorite deities Lord Venkateshwara and Ganesha was his main strength and his STRONG WILL POWER helped him to pass many difficult hurdles of life. He was running a groceries shop at Badiyadka for many years but since he was not ready to compromise on his values he never succeeded in his business. He served in M/s K V N Shenoy and company, a private firm for few years after winding up his business. His wife Smt. Sathyabhama Bai was from a near by place Nilleshwar and he was having four sons. The greatest tragedy of his life was his eldest son Sathish Kamth’s death at a very young age. Other sons are Trivikram a bank employee, Panduranga an employee of Aditya Birla Group and Damodar, working in a finance company. After living a purposeful life, Devadas Kamath left this world on 08.03.1991. On 12.12.2001, his wife Satyabhama also followed him.