Latest news with #Ramachandrappa
Hans India
13-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Turning Pages, Changing Lives: Retired railway officer builds free library for rural students in Tumakuru
Bengaluru: In an age where digital distractions dominate and education remains a privilege for many, a retired railway station master in Karnataka's Tumakuru district is quietly revolutionizing learning — one book at a time. T. Ramachandrappa, a former railway station master from Turuvekere taluk, has transformed the first floor of his home into a haven for rural students — a free public library housing over 20,000 books. What began as a personal effort driven by a passion for books has become a powerful social mission that continues to inspire hundreds of young minds. The seeds of this initiative were sown long before his retirement. 'I started my job at 21 and joined the Railways after clearing the entrance exam,' recalls Ramachandrappa. 'Since then, reading has been my constant companion. I always wanted to give others — especially students from rural backgrounds — the access to knowledge that many lack.' Moved by the plight of underprivileged students who couldn't afford study materials for exams like JEE, NEET, UPSC, and other competitive tests, Ramachandrappa began collecting books in 2009. Using his pension money, he consistently added titles to the growing collection. What started with a few books in a room gradually grew into a full-fledged library occupying an entire floor of his 2,400 sq. ft. house — now complete with reading areas, a lending system, and even an auditorium. Realizing the scale of his commitment, his wife Lalitha Ramachandra, a retired college lecturer, joined him in managing the library. Soon, their daughter Sushma Chaitanya and son-in-law Krishna Chaitanya, both educators, came on board too. Together, the family has made it their collective mission to promote reading and provide access to resources that most rural students can only dream of. The library doesn't just stop at books. Newspapers from all major publications are available daily. Articles on politics, science, and technology are carefully archived into indexed files for students to browse. Lending policies are flexible — students can borrow books and even call to renew them. But the real magic lies in the community-building events that the library hosts. On the first Saturday of every month, a special session is held where a speaker introduces and discusses an insightful book. This program has been running for the last ten years without fail. In addition, ISRO scientists are invited annually to conduct seminars promoting basic science education for high school students and teachers. Free meals are served at these events, ensuring inclusivity. On Children's Day (November 14), the library turns into a cultural hub. Also the library has welcomed noted personalities such as Hiremagaluru Kannan, filmmaker P. Sheshadri, K. Shivaram (retired IAS officer and actor), T.N. Seetharam, and many more who have come to encourage reading and learning. After retiring at the age of 54, Ramachandrappa didn't stop learning. He earned a Bachelor's in Library and Information Science and an MA in Journalism, equipping himself with the skills to run the library more effectively. 'Many students who studied here are now well-settled professionals. One of them, Hitesh, became a research scientist. There are many such success stories,' he shares with quiet pride. T. Ramachandrappa's story is proof that retirement is not the end, but the beginning of new possibilities. Through his love for books and dedication to education, he has built not just a library — but a legacy that will empower generations.
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Basavaraj Kattimani trust award presented to Baraguru Ramachandrappa
The Basavaraj Kattimani Trust presented its annual award for novel writing to veteran writer and film maker Baraguru Ramachandrappa in Belagavi on Monday. Resource persons, including writers, critics and former students of Prof. Ramachandrappa spoke in various sessions about his life and work at an event in the Sangolli Rayanna first grade college. Vinaya Vakkund, president of the Betageri Krishna Sharma Trust, spoke about his literature. She said that he had produced over 60 books in various forms of writing like novels, poetry, dramas, scripts, dialogues and songs for films. 'This is no ordinary writing. It is literature that stems out of self-respect and ideological commitment. Prof. Ramachandrappa is deeply influenced by the ideologies of Buddha, Basavanna and Dr. Ambedkar. His writing is the essence of the preachings of these saints and cultural leaders,' she said. She said that the characters in his works spoke against social evils like class and caste discrimination, and batted for gender equality. Rajappa Dalwai, writer and actor, spoke about the films of Prof. Ramachandrappa. 'He has directed 24 films till now, and has won an award for each of them. Most of them have been screened in international film festivals. He believes that cinema is a world language, that not only provides entertainment, but also makes us reflect on the various humanistic values and the crisis in human life, Prof. Dalwai said. His works form a significant portion of the alternative cinema in Kannada. However, he has worked in both commercial and art films and has managed to smoothly transition from using reels to digital technologies. He has won awards for the script, dialogue and songs he has penned for films of other directors. His films have been advocating equality and human dignity. For example, Ondu Oorina Kathe, made in 1978 spoke of caste system and zamindari system. HIs film Shanti entered the Guinness book of records, for a film portraying only one character. Prof. Ramachandrappa has worked with stars like Shivaraj Kumar and veteran theatre artists like B.V. Karanth and writer Chandrashekar Kambar. He is a filmmaker with a social consciousness, Prof. Dalwai said. The two volumes of Kannada film history that he edited are milestones in documenting Indian cinema, he said. A.B. Ramachandrappa, coordinator of Manava Bandhutva Vedike, spoke about Prof. Ramachandrappa's personality traits. He described him as a 'teacher of teachers'. 'He has inspired a generation of students and teachers. His polite demeanour and the character to mingle with people of all ages are exceptional. His professional achievements are above the ordinary. They stem out of his strict discipline, healthy habits, and hard working nature. He was instrumental in the government granting five percent reservation for kannada medium students,' Mr. Ramachandrappa said. Gurupada Mariguddi, critic, said Prof. Ramachandrappa deserved an award instituted in the name of Basavaraj Kattimani as both were considered rebellious. Being a journalist, Mr. Kattimani expressed his angst through his newspaper and his novels. Prof. Ramachandrappa has done this through his writing and through his work as chairman of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Kannada Development Authority. He is like a pro-Kannada warrior. He has learnt not only to work with academicians and creative writers, but also with various government agencies, Prof. Mariguddi said. Manu Baligar, former chairman of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat and writer D.S. Chougale, spoke during the inauguration. Trust chairman Yallappa Himmadi, members Manjula Biradar, J.P. Doddamani, K.R. Siddagangamma, Hamidabegum Desai, Somanath Chikkanaragund, Vishnu M. Shindhe, Vithal Dalwai, member secretary Vidyavati Bhajantri and others were present.
