5 Bangaloreans are pride of Karnataka

Five super-achievers from Bangalore have now become the Pride of Karnataka.

Gardener of MindTree Subroto Bagchi; Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid; Kannada cinema director Yogaraj Bhat; and co-founders of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Janaagraha, Ramesh and Swati Ramanathan, were honoured with the award by NGO Round Table India in the city on Tuesday.

“I personally feel that I walk in the shadow of giants,” Bagchi said after accepting the award. “The award to me is a recognition of two things: the spirit of entrepreneurship and the idea of professionalism. In giving me this award, Round Table has underscored their importance and I thank them (Round Table) for that,” he said.

For someone who has reached great heights in the field of information technology and is now a successful author, Bagchi was full of humility. He was quick to congratulate Round Table for its good work.

Dravid won the jury’s award in the field of sports. He said he was inspired by the NGO’s work spread over half a century.

Bhat, who was chosen from the entertainment field, said the award was a boost to his creative energy. “I feel really proud to be a Kannadiga, to be an Indian. Thank you so very much for this, Round Table,” Bhat, director of the blockbuster movie, Mungaaru Male, said.

Ramesh and Swati Ramanathan, too, felt Round Table India deserved more credit than they did. “People always ask us what fuels the work that we dedicate ourselves to. I think that it is on occasions like these when you are recognised and acknowledged for something that you do, that gives you the inspiration to take a step further,” said a beaming Swati.

“I think it is Round Table and not us that really deserves an award for the work that it has been doing since it started in 1957. Being humble enough to acknowledge that it is a zero overhead organisation is definitely worthy of applause,” Ramesh said.

The chief guest, RG Nadadur, principal secretary to the education department, said: “I feel fairly overwhelmed to be in the midst of such luminaries. The jury has made the right choice in favouring these great achievers. In honouring them, we are really honouring ourselves. But we should be honouring Round Table more since it has accomplished so much despite being a zero-overhead organisation.”

The NGO’s contribution to the field of education needed no proof, he said.

Round Table India is a non-political, non-sectarian organisation of young men who believe in facilitating freedom through education. It has been involved in ongoing efforts to eradicate illiteracy in the country, having built numerous schools for the underprivileged.