Kannadigas observe Kengal Hanumanthaiah's centenary (Attn: BLR)

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) A large number of Kannadigas today paid rich tributes to former Karnataka Chief Minister K Hanumanthaiah and recalled his contribution to the freedom struggle and in providing good governance to the state and to the Railway Ministry.

Participating in the meeting organised by Dehali Kannadiga, a monthly, to commemorate his birth centenary, the speakers recalled the administration of Hanumanthaiah as Chief Minister during 1952-1956, which saw the construction of Vidhana Soudha, the majestic building now home for bicameral Karnataka Legislature. As Railway Minister in 1971, he was applauded by leaders like Jaya Prakash Narain for making the trains stick to their schedules.

Born in Kengal, a village in Bangalore rural, the former CM is also remembered for bringing in positive reforms in administration as many of the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by him as a Lok Sabha MP had been implemented.

A keen admirer of Kannada language, he was responsible for taking many of the classics to the masses at nominal cost during his chief ministerial tenure.

Dehali Kannadiga editor M B Samaga urged the Centre to run a Garib Rath from the national capital to Bangalore and name it after Hanumanthaiah as a tribute to his contributions to the Centre as well as Karnataka.

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