In 1979, a 36-year-old engineer from India with a superb job and a formidable wage in the US of America determined to provide all of it up and return dwelling to Karnataka’s Dharwad. Sangayya Rachayya Hiremath was pushed by his want to be a part of the social change in rural Karnataka and to combat towards corruption. Forty-three years later, social and environmental activist Hiremath’s life stands as testimony to his dedication to his imaginative and prescient.
“There have been a number of causes to return to India. One amongst them was that I had made a promise to my mom that I’d come again to India and work. However behind my thoughts, I knew I wanted to contribute one thing to India, particularly to the agricultural areas,” says Hiremath, now 78. “I used to be additionally influenced by the JP [Jayaprakash Narayan] motion and arrange India Improvement Providers (IDS).”
After returning to Dharwad in 1979, Hiremath began working in three villages, specializing in empowering villagers, economically and socially, with inclusiveness. “Each village we labored in, we noticed that solely 5-10 per cent of the villagers had been decision-makers within the welfare of villagers,” says Hiremath. “The marginalised part of society and girls are often by no means thought of. However when our mission is applied, a minimum of 70 per cent of the villagers could have a say within the choice,” he provides.
With Hiremath concentrating on working in rural areas, his preliminary activism went unnoticed. In 2011, nonetheless, Hiremath’s grievance led to the Karnataka Lokayukta submitting a report that uncovered one of many nation’s largest mining scams, value a whopping Rs 60,000 crore, and led to the arrest of then Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa. His relentless pursuit additionally led to a ban on mining within the state and the arrest of Janardhan Reddy, then tourism minister. Hiremath turned a family identify in Karnataka.
Whilst his combat to show the rip-off was underway, a set of politicians tried to silence him, he says. “There have been lots of people checking my background and a few of them tried to painting that my household within the US was benefitting however they failed. Some vested nationwide media individuals additionally arrived to malign my picture however the native journalists in Dharwad knew who I used to be and even these makes an attempt failed,” he recollects.
Although Hiremath is a recognized identify in Karnataka as we speak, his simplicity and unassuming nature have ensured that he has maintained a low profile. Along with his shirt tucked in and a bag hanging on his left shoulder, Hiremath could be seen utilizing public transport and visiting authorities workplaces, looking for paperwork.
Hailing from a poor household, Hiremath was influenced by Vachana literature, a type of rhythmic writing in Kannada that flourished within the twelfth century as part of the Sharana motion at a younger age. Born in Belavanaki village in north Karnataka’s Gadag district, Hiremath later moved to Medleri village, now part of Haveri district, and continues to stay there even as we speak.
Regardless of shedding his father on the age of 5, Hiremath was a meritorious pupil. He secured the second rank within the Class X exams and went on to finish mechanical engineering in 1967. He subsequently moved to the US of America to pursue an MS in operations analysis from Kansas State College and later accomplished a post-graduation in enterprise administration from Illinois Institute of Know-how.
Regardless of his background, his training in India in addition to within the US progressed easily due to a scholarship. Hiremath was an funding banker who had labored in a number of private and non-private firms, together with the Federal Reserve Financial institution of Chicago.
Requested if he regretted his choice to depart his job within the US and return to Karnataka, Hiremath says he solely felt so as soon as. “In 1982, once I was working for the event of rural areas, a mob got here close to my home late at evening saying that I used to be rigging the cash that was to be paid to the villagers. I advised them that I’d give an account of every paisa. That evening, I felt, ‘Why did I go away my job and are available to India?’ However the subsequent morning, the thought vanished after a big group of villagers stood by me strongly and confronted those that questioned me,” he says.
Hiremath has two youngsters and 4 grandchildren. “They ask me why I’ve to do that. ‘You may come and spend your life in peace right here’ they are saying. Everybody does what retains them blissful and everybody needs a significant life. Preventing for the reason for folks retains me blissful and makes my life significant and I’ll proceed to do it until my final breath,” says Hiremath.
Apart from IDS, Hiremath has been a part of many organisations, together with the Karnataka State Air pollution Management Board and the state-level steering committee for the Western Ghats Forestry mission, amongst others. Based in 1982, his organisation Samaj Parivartana Samudaya has been instrumental in combating for the surroundings, towards corruption and championing different social points.
Requested if he confronted threats in his profession as an activist, Hiremath says, “I didn’t get threats as such as a result of the type of documentation I did on points was very sturdy…As soon as, when the mining rip-off was uncovered, some folks tried to method me by way of my pals to ‘settle’ the matter…However I don’t name it a menace.”
Hiremath seems to be again at his 43-year campaign to empower Indian villages, combat towards corruption and defend the pursuits – of the surroundings and the residents – with fondness, tinged with disappointment. “My intention was a corruption-free and remodeled vibrant democracy. However as we speak, corruption is rampant and there may be an undeclared emergency which makes me actually involved,” he says.