Mangaluru: Rachana, the Catholic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mangalore is preparing to celebrate its Silver Jubilee on 3 November 2024, marking 25 years of service to entrepreneurs, professionals, and agriculturists. The event will be held at Cordel Hall, Kulshekar, Mangaluru, beginning at 6 PM.

Rear Admiral Nelson D'Souza, Commandant of the Military Institute of Technology in Pune, will serve as the chief guest. NRI entrepreneur Michael D'Souza and Rohan Monteiro, Chairman of Rohan Corporation, will be the guests of honour. The event will be inaugurated by His Grace Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado of Bengaluru, with Mangaluru Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha presiding.

Rachana President John B. Monteiro, Silver Jubilee Committee Chairperson Marjorie Texeira, and Secretary Vijay Vishwas Lobo will also mark their presence.

The celebration will also feature the launch of the Rachana Catholic Co-operative Society, an initiative aimed at supporting emerging entrepreneurs. A documentary chronicling Rachana’s 25-year journey will be screened as part of the event.

Rachana was founded following a workshop organized by the Catholic Sabha at Bendur Church Hall on 6 September 1998, under the leadership of Maritto Sequeira. This initiative, which brought together over a hundred Catholic business leaders from the diocese, led to the formation of Rachana on 1 November 1998, with its first general meeting held on 8 August 1999. John Alex Sequeira was elected as the association’s first president.

Rachana has played an instrumental role in motivating youth towards self-employment, providing training and industry insights through workshops, and celebrating accomplishments within the community. The organisation conducts regular meetings and events to foster knowledge sharing and growth among members. Since 2003, Rachana has hosted the prestigious Rachana Awards, honouring successful entrepreneurs, professionals, and agriculturists, with around 67 individuals recognised to date.

The current executive committee includes John B. Monteiro as President, Naveen Lobo as Vice President, Vijay Vishwas Lobo as Secretary, Walter D’Cunha as Joint Secretary, Nelson Monteiro as Treasurer, and other committee members dedicated to Rachana’s mission.

The press meet, held today at the Press Club in Mangaluru, was attended by key representatives including President John B. Monteiro, Convenor Marjorie Texeira, and executive committee members.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.

The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.

Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.

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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.

Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.

A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.

Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.

The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.

He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.

A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.

He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.

Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.