Former Employees Launch ‘Save MCF Name’ Movement, Vow to Restore Mangaluru’s Industrial Identity
Mangaluru: Under the banner “ಎಂಸಿಎಫ್ ಹೆಸರು ಉಳಿಸಿ” (Save MCF Name), former employees of Mangaluru Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd. (MCF) held their first formal meeting on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Hotel Woodlands to strategise against the erasure of the company’s iconic name.
The meeting, attended by approximately 50 former employees, was convened in response to the replacement of the MCFL name with Paradeep Phosphates Ltd. (PPL) following its recent merger. Participants expressed deep anguish over the fact that MCF, a cornerstone of Mangaluru’s industrial landscape, has ceased to exist as a named entity, with its name boards being replaced overnight.
The program commenced with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony led by senior statesmen Mr. Y. M. Devadas and Ms. Sheena Poojary, along with members of the organizing committee. Mr Jayaram Shetty formally welcomed the gathering.
In his keynote address, Mr Shivarama Shetty articulated the movement’s core rationale. He highlighted that MCF, established in 1975 with Government and public participation, shares an unbreakable bond with the city. “People have been displaced from their land, water is being used from their rivers, and the locals bear the environmental impact. But the industry provided much-needed employment to local youth, precious fertilisers to farmers, and prestige to the city bearing its name,” he stated. He emphasised that replacing ‘Mangaluru’ with ‘Paradeep’ has deeply hurt the sentiments of stakeholders, including employees (past and present), the local community, and Kannadigas at large. “Someone had to give voice to these sentiments, hence we had to take up this issue,” he declared.
The meeting featured candid deliberations, with many members echoing these sentiments. Several participants expressed regret that the matter was not brought into the public domain earlier. Constructive suggestions were offered by members, including Mr Shabaraya, Mr Krishnamurthy Rai, Mr R.K. Bhat, Mr Ravindra U, Mr Y M Devdas, Mr Janardhana Ghatty, Mr Navachandra Rao, Mr Sathish Bhandary, and Mr Jagadish Panambur.
In his concluding address, Mr Maxim D’Souza summarised the discussions and outlined a way forward. He reported that the movement already has over 300 members, with many more former employees spread across the globe. “Our objective is to create awareness and mobilise support from locals, the general public, farmers, other stakeholders, local organisations, elected representatives, political parties, and the media to give impetus to the movement,” he said.
To strengthen the initiative, new members were inducted into the organising committee. Mr Mohammed Ali, Mr Rajanna, Mr Sainath Savant, Mr Victor Rego, Mr Veeresh, Mr Krishnamurthy, and Mr Shabaraya will now join existing members Mr Dayananda Shetty, Mr Jayarama Shetty, Mr Shivarama Shetty, and Mr Maxim Alfred.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Mr Dayananda Shetty, and was competently compered by Mr Victor Rego. Signatures for a memorandum to be submitted to the authorities were collected from all members present.
About the Movement:
“ಎಂಸಿಎಫ್ ಹೆಸರು ಉಳಿಸಿ” (Save MCF Name) is a collective of former employees and stakeholders of Mangaluru Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd. The movement aims to restore the company’s original name, which is deeply intertwined with the identity and heritage of Mangaluru, and to advocate for the recognition of its historical significance to the region and its people.
