The last rites of Gandhian and founder of Janapada Seva Trust in Melkote, Surendra Koulagi, was performed at Melkote in Mandya district on Monday. Mr. Koulagi, 83, died in Mysuru on Sunday night after brief illness.
Family sources said that he was taken to a hospital nearly a week ago when he complained of breathlessness after delivering a lecture and suffered a heart attack. He was shifted to the ICU but efforts to revive him failed. He is survived by two sons, Santosh and Subhash. His wife Girijamma predeceased him.
Born on October 28, 1934 in Gudgeri village in Dharwad, Mr. Koulagi evinced interest in social work even as a boy and enrolled himself in Seva Dal activities. Later, he came in contact with Acharya Vinoba Bhave and worked with him in the Bhoodan Movement. Subsequently, he became personal secretary to Jayaprakash Narayan for a few years before deciding to settle down in Melkote where he and his wife started the Janapada Seva Trust in the early ‘60s.
Mr. Koulagi had formed a dedicated band of volunteers to popularise a way of life steeped in Gandhian and Sarvodaya philosophy.
He was a recipient of many awards in recognition of his social work, including the Jamnalal Bajaj award in 2014.
As the word of his death spread, there was a steady stream of people at his residence to pay their respects.
