By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore:  As many as 224 students pursuing School and college, Medical, Nursing, Engineering and other professional courses, received Educational Scholarships under the benevolent patronage of the Billawas of Dubai and Northern Emirates (NE) committee at Sri Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara temple hall here on August 19.

Students from Gwana Nritya Academy performed dances on the occasion. The programme began with a prayer song.  Secretary, Billawas Education Committee, Udaya Kumar Kateel welcomed the gathering. General Secretary Madhava Poojary briefed about the scholarship. 

The programme was inaugurated by the former Central Minister B Janardhan Poojary by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.

Speaking on the occasion Poojary said that, in olden times we were not called the people of God, we were not given entry into the temples for prayer and we were treated as lower caste.  Brahmashree Guru built a temple for the Billawa community. Children should learn the history of the Billawas,  Recalling his school days he said that when we went to school, we never had proper dress to wear nor getting proper food.  Still I had a vision to pursue my education.  I had graduated in Commerce and went to Mumbai to pursue LLB.  He further said that now a days children don't have any problems be it in clothing or food, parents provide good food and clothing to their children by controlling their expenses.  

Janardhana Poojary lauded the contribution of Billawas Dubai and NE towards uplifting the underprivileged and the needy people in the community. "Though the members of this association have been working for their livelihood in the distant land, it is praiseworthy to note their contribution to their brethren back home here", he said. Announcing that poor students will be assisted in their educational endeavours, he said that poverty strikes even good students with poor health and thus makes it difficult to pursue education. He also said that now a days the community is very much supportive to the students in providing scholarship and even the government is encouraging the students to pursue their education by giving scholarship. In our times there was no scholarship facilities and we had to strive hard and get scholarship through other means, he said.

Further stressing on the issue of a woman,  when her husband passes away she has to wipe out the kumkum , break the bangles she is wearing and remove mangalsutra from her neck and keep herself away from family members.  This should not be happening, she has the right to live, when her husband dies no one will take away her freedom, she will be treated well because we consider women as Goddess Laxmi, he opined.  Further continuing he said that character plays an important role in every one's life, one should have good character to become successful. 

Fiver achievers were felicitated on the occasion.  Medical aid was given to needy persons on the occasion.  President of State Billawa Union, Mulki, Jaya C Suvarna distributed the scholarships to 224 students.

 President of Billawas Dubai and NE, Jithendra Suvarna, former president BD and NE Mohan Attavar, Treasurer Vittal Poojary, Prabhakar Suvarna, Harikrishna Bantwal and Atma Poojary  were also present on the dais.