Latest news with #SharanabaswappaAppa
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Samasthan expresses gratitude for overwhelming tributes to Sharanabaswappa Appa
The Sharanabasaveshwar Samasthan has expressed its heartfelt gratitude to devotees, dignitaries, religious leaders, and officials who came forward to pay their obeisance to the mortal remains of Sharanabaswappa Appa, the 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan, who attained eternal rest on August 14. In a statement issued in Kalaburagi on Saturday, the 9th Peetadhipathi Chiranjeevi Doddappa Appa, chairperson of the Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Dakshayini Avva, and secretary of the Sangha Basavaraj Deshmukh conveyed their deep appreciation to the tens of thousands of devotees who travelled from across Kalaburagi and beyond to offer their final respects at the Sharanabasaveshwar Shrine on August 15. The samasthan extended its special thanks to the Karnataka government for arranging full State honours for Appa's last rites. In particular, it acknowledged the gesture of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who arrived in Kalaburagi by special flight to pay homage and participate in the ceremonies, alongside Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil, Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, and Minister of State for Small Scale Industries Sharanabasappa Dharshanapur for offering their tributes. The samasthan thanked Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa, and senior police officers for ensuring the smooth and secure conduct of the final rites, which enabled tens of thousands of devotees to pay homage in peace and order. Acknowledgment was also extended to BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra, who arrived by special flight to offer his respects, and to KKRDB Chairman Ajay Singh, elected representatives, and former Ministers including Allamprabhu Patil, Basavaraj Mathimode, Khaneez Fatima, B.R. Patil, Bandappa Khashempur, Rajasekhar Patil Humnabad, and Shashil G. Namoshi and B.G. Patil, MLCs, among others. The samasthan also appreciated the floral tribute offered by Sajjada Nasheen of Khaja Banda Nawaz Dargah, Syed Shah Muhammed Ali Al-Hussaini. Special gratitude was conveyed to seers of various Mutts for their presence and support in the samasthan's moment of grief. The statement particularly thanked Chennaveera Shivacharyaru of Harkud Hiremath Samasthan and Abhinava Parvetheshwara Shivacharyaru of Brahan Math Belagumpi, who performed traditional rituals and ceremonially handed over the headgear, Linga, and Linga Sajjike of Appa to the 9th Peetadhipathi, Chiranjeevi Doddappa Appaji. Above all, the Samasthan expressed its indebtedness to lakhs of devotees, cutting across caste and creed, who joined in prayers and paid their heartfelt tributes, reflecting the spiritual legacy and inclusive vision of Sharnabaswappa Appa.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Sharanabaswappa Appa passes away at 91
Eighth Peethadhipathi of the Sharanabasaveshwara Samsthan Sharanabaswappa Appa, who was founder-chancellor of Sharnbasva University in Kalaburagi, passed away late on Thursday. He was 91. He is survived by eight daughters and a son, five daughters from his first wife and three daughters and a son from his second wife. His nine-year-old son Doddappa Appa was crowned as the ninth Peethadhipathi of the samsthan in February 2022 at the age of four to succeed his father. Appa was suffering from age-related ailments for the last few months. He was admitted to a private hospital in the city on July 25 after developing a respiratory infection and was on life support since then. At 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, he was taken to his residence at Dasoha Mahamane on the Sharana Basaveshwara Temple premises, where a makeshift ICU was set up earlier in the day. All care and supportive medications were continued until his last breath, under the care of a dedicated medical team, to ensure his comfort. By 9.23 p.m., he breathed his last. Born on November 14, 1935, Appa completed his early education at Mahadasoha Mahamane in the Gurukul tradition, pursued schooling at Nutan Vidyalaya and graduated from the Government College in Kalaburagi. He earned his MA and Ph.D in Philosophy from Karnatak University, Dharwad, where he was later appointed a Syndicate Member. He was instrumental in introducing postgraduate studies in Veerashaiva philosophy. He studied under eminent scholar K.G. Shah who had taught at Cambridge and Oxford. Appa ascended the Peethadhipathi's chair in 1983. A visionary educationist, he transformed the once educationally backward Kalyana Karnataka region into an academic hub. When political and social systems failed to provide quality education, he opened the doors of higher learning to the masses, focusing on empowerment through knowledge. He authored Shatashtala Siddhanta and Maha Dasoha Sutra, the latter was translated into English by Judit Kroll of the University of Chicago. In 2017, he established Sharnbasva University to blend traditional values with modern education and to frame curricula free from bureaucratic constraints, tailoring them to the needs of industry and society. Under his stewardship, the Sharanabasaveshwara Vidya Vardhak Sangha expanded into a network of schools, colleges and professional institutions. The samsthan flourished as a centre of spiritual guidance, social service and cultural preservation. Appa's lifelong commitment to moral values, inclusivity, and interfaith harmony earned him widespread respect and numerous honours. His death marks the end of an era for the samsthan and the people of North Karnataka.
