Noted writer, poet Chandrashekhar Patil passes away at 82
Bengaluru (PTI): Noted Kannada literary figure Chandrashekhar Patil popularly known as 'Champa' has died at a private hospital here on Monday morning, due to age related ailments.
He was 82 and is survived by wife, a son and a daughter, sources close to his family said. He was suffering from age-related ailments and was shifted to hospital last night as his health situation deteriorated, they said.
A poet, playwright, Patil had also served as President of Kannada Sahitya Parishat. An activist by nature, he was one of the foremost voices of Bandaya' genre of Kannada literature
He has participated in several literary and farmers movement or agitations including Gokak agitation, Bandaya movement, anti-Emergency agitation among others, and was a strong proponent of Kannada language as a medium of instruction in schools.
Patil, who was professor of English from Karnataka University, was the editor of the influential literary journal 'Sankramana', and had also served as Chairman of Kannada Development Authority.
He is recipient of Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award and Pampa Award among others.
His popular works include poetries like- Banuli, Madhyabindu, 19 Kavanagalu, also plays like Kodegalu, Appa, Gurtinavaru, among others, including several essays. He also wrote in English like- "At the other end", which is an anthology of his poems.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai condoling Patil's death said his contribution to Kannada literary field is immense and his passing away has created a huge void.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, former Chief Ministers- Siddaramaiah, H D Kumaraswamy, several of Bommai's cabinet colleagues and political and literary figures have condoled Patil's death.
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Indian-origin man among 4 killed in temple collapse in South Africa
Johannesburg (PTI): A 52-year-old Indian-origin man is among four people killed after a four-storey Hindu temple under construction collapsed in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, officials have said.
The New Ahobilam Temple of Protection, situated on a steep hill in Redcliffe in north of eThekwini (formerly Durban), was being expanded when a section of the building gave way on Friday while workers were on site.
The exact number of workers and temple officials believed to be trapped beneath tonnes of rubble is unknown.
While two people, a construction worker and a devotee, were confirmed dead on Friday, the death toll rose to four on Saturday after rescue teams recovered more bodies.
Of the four deceased, one has been identified as Vickey Jairaj Panday, an executive member of the temple trust and manager of the construction project, local media reported, quoting officials.
Panday had been deeply involved in the development of the temple since its inception nearly two years ago, the reports said.
Sanvir Maharaj, director of Food for Love, a charity affiliated to the temple, also confirmed that Panday was among those who had died.
Rescue workers, who spent two days trying to recover a fifth body that had been located, had to suspend operations on Saturday afternoon due to inclement weather, Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram told local media.
“At this stage, it cannot be confirmed whether additional individuals remain trapped beneath the rubble,” he said.
The temple was designed to resemble a cave, using rocks brought from India and excavated on site, and the family building the structure had claimed that it would house one of the world's largest deities of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
The eThekwini municipality, in a statement, said no building plans had been approved for the project, suggesting the construction was illegal.
Initial rescue efforts had been guided by cellphone calls from one of the trapped persons, but communications ceased late Friday evening, officials said.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thulasizwe Buthelezi visited the site on Saturday and pledged that rescue operations would continue for as long as necessary, even as experts noted that there was little hope of finding more survivors.
Buthelezi expressed gratitude to the combined government and private teams involved in the search and rescue operation, including a special dog unit from the Western Cape.
