Meeting with Padma Bhushan Veerendra Heggadeji......

I would like to share with you a little about my meeting with Padma Bhushan Veerendra Heggadeji.

I first word which comes to my mind to describe this is phenomenal!!! I was really dumbstruck by his charisma. The flare in his eyes..... What a man!!!

I can say this is one of the most special moment of my life till date. I had got a call from my Principal's Office that I had to be at the college office today at 11 saying Heggadeji has expressed his desire to meet you and these words were more than enough to put me on cloud 9.

So I went today at 11 and was welcomed by the running around of all the staff and it didn't take me more than a minute to realise that Heggadeji was already there. I was asked to wait in the office and by the time I had another delightful moment the chance to converse with another splendid man Dr. A.B. Halageri, who is an exponent in the field of Chemical Engineering and has an industrial experience of 33years at Reliance industries etc. Felt really motivated by his advice to go abroad for studies but not to forget my roots, my motherland, India. Really, I felt bad about the brain drain rampart in today's society.

Finally, I was called to meet Heggadeji and his first sight was mesmerizing. You may feel I am exaggerating things,but you need to experience it to know it. Before the meet, I had talked to my Mummy & Pappa and they had told me about him and said to look in his eyes and notice the "Tej"(Flare) and I had just said yes casually, but at that moment I realised yes, Heggadeji is something exceptional.

So the talk began and I was asked to tell about my background, I told I hail from Karwar and have done my college in Mangalore and I told about Canara College and things which led me to choose SDMCET and not NITK, RVCE etc. I really think it may be planned by Lord Manjunatheshwara himself that I chose SDMCET and could do a small part towards this institution.

Next I told him about the developments since February 2009 when I became MSP and my journey ever since which has been like a dream. Visiting engineering colleges and giving workshop at 9 colleges with 70 sessions and coverage of more than 1200 students. I told him about my selection as a LeadCap Young Leader among only 23 in all over India and also our cause to create "Million Leaders in India". I also told him about my Research Paper on "Multi-Core Processors" and that it has been approved by Intel and Won Third Place in Intel Threading Champion 2009.And also told him about the recently concluded "Windows 7 Launch Party @SDMCET" which was a huge success thanks to all people involved.

The remark which he made will always be unforgettable " Though all things you have achieved are you personal accomplishments, We take pride in telling it to others because you belong to us". Another thing which he wished left me speechless, that is to showcase my activities in "Manjuvani" the publication of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala and I can never forget the way he took the Xerox copy of the article, folded it and put it in his pocket. He asked me how long would I be in the college and when i said I would be graduated in June 2010. He expressed his wish that I could be in this college longer but that motivated me a million times to achieve much more in the span of 6 months which I will spend in college and also do something towards my college as an proud alumni as well.

He concluded by congratulating me on my endeavours and said till today you might have received support from your college and Principal but henceforth the support to you would be extended from the Management also, be it in organising events, travelling expenses etc.

To add silver lining to the meeting at last I had a chance to touch his feet and take his blessings. Feeling just great to have the blessings of this Great Man - A Leader, A Visionary , A Philanthropist and to sum it all a Dharmadhikari!!!!