The 150-year-old Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha (KVS) is getting ready for elections for its governing body and a 97-year-old veteran journalist, who has been its president for half a decade, is all set to enter the fray again.
Patil Puttappa, popularly known as Papu, who holds a record of sorts by holding the position for 50 years since 1967, has announced that he will contest again in the elections to be held in December, unmindful of his advanced age. Members of KVS numbering around 5,500 will elect the office-bearers and the members of the executive council for a period of three years. Fresh elections is scheduled on December 17.
Established on July 20, 1890, KVS is a prestigious institution which has played a key role in the freedom struggle and the State unification movement. Later, it had also been the platform for several movements concerning issues of land and language, including the famous agitation demanding implementation of the V.K. Gokak report on the State official language.
Thanks to his role in the freedom struggle and the State unification movement, Mr. Puttappa has occupied several public offices, including a berth in the Rajya Sabha for two terms.
But he has a special bond with KVS. Over the years, he has retired from politics, given up active journalism, and also declined other offers. But he continues to be president of KVS.
Mr. Puttappa enjoys such a strong support base that all previous attempts to defeat him have failed. Even the likes of Chandrashekhar Patil (Champa) had to bite the dust when they contested against him.
During the 2014 elections, BJP leaders are believed to have made attempts to defeat him because he had taken them on for a local issue, but he won that year as well.
