Comments on: Shanbhag School in Kumta

By: Arun Shanbhag

Arun Shanbhag — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:06:46 +0000

Heh! Yes, pohe masala is a specialty of Kumta (along with Kashaay piTTo). I don’t know many of the families there, but am slowly getting plugged into the local scene. Too many shanbhag, and …kars

and i get to speak konkani in the market, to the auto drivers and everywhere else heeeee heeeeee!

let me know more about the family.

By: Anu

Anu — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:44:57 +0000

Both my amamma and pachi (mhantu’s wife) are from Kumta. I’d stopped by for 1kg of pohe malasa last time, and met family I’d only heard about from amma. Amamma’s nee Mankikar, and pachi’s father was a famous doctor (they’re three sisters.. will chk on their surname).

By: Academic Update from the Shanbhag School Kumta « Arun Shanbhag

Academic Update from the Shanbhag School Kumta « Arun Shanbhag — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:10:52 +0000

[...] 26, 2008 by Arun Shanbhag When I first posted on the Shanbhag School, the upper floor (1st floor) was still under construction. During my visit in Nov, it was a thrill [...]

By: Arun Shanbhag

Arun Shanbhag — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:39:15 +0000

Hi Uday, nice hearing from you.
I am a Shanbhag; My grandfather owned a pharmacy in town. His brother’s kids and grandkids still have different stores/agencies in town. I was just in Bhatkal in Dec for a short visit.

Where are you now? and what do you do?

By: Uday Nayak

Uday Nayak — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:12:18 +0000

Hi arun,

Saw you mail while browing on the net. Since you mentioned you were born in Bhatkal, I was also born in Bhatkal and I belong to the Nayak family. To which family you belong to?

Regards,

Uday Nayak

By: Kids on a School Bus « Arun Shanbhag

Kids on a School Bus « Arun Shanbhag — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:08:06 +0000

[...] 16, 2008 by Arun Shanbhag When I asked folks at the Shanbhag School the best way to travel to Kodkani (about 15 kms from Kumta) to see Shilpa’s parents, they [...]

By: aliyeh

aliyeh — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:08:44 +0000

Dear Mr.Shanbag,

I have just returned yesterday from a trip to Kumta/Gokarna. I had gone there in connection with a women’s self empowerment programme initiated by a very dear friend Akshay Heblikar and his organisation, Eco-Watch. Eco-watch was set up by his father, Mr.Suresh Heblikar, a well known evironmentalist and film personality.

Akshay’s family is from KumtaHe is very passionate about the area, and intends to move there soon and work for development there.

I live in Bangalore and have a shop which sells handmade, natural products – apparel, accessories and more, made by craft and self-empowerment groups.

I am replying to you because I spent 3 days there, yet came to love the area deeply as though I have lived there all my life.I cannot understand it but it touched me deeply. Having come back, I miss it deeply and wish to return as soon as I can. We are now working in the area, and have a lot of environmental, cultural, rural tourism and sustainable livlihood programmes in the pipeline, without damaging its sensitive and fragile traditions and culture which we passionately wish to conserve. I can read, write and understand Kannada but have some difficulty speaking more than basic sentences currently. But that does not deter me.I will speak it soon, I know.

There is a lot to be done in all of India, leave alone Karnataka and Kumta. Overpopulation and increasing consumerism in the metros is not the only indication of India’s economic boom.It MUST percolate, but it hasn’t, yet. So how is it a boom really ?

There is so much potential in a small town to do SO much.It is an easily controlled environment, a limited population, all known people, and all it takes therefore is initiative. Not only from us, but from people who live there. We must instill a sense of pride and ownership to make it a model town, which it very well could be if we all worked together.

Till then, me, and all of us partnering with Eco-watch and the work they do in the area, will do our best. Please do let me know if there is anyway we could all meet sometime when you are next in Kumta ? It would be wonderful to meet and share ideas.

With warm regards
Aliyeh Rizvi

By: aliyeh

aliyeh — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:01:31 +0000

Dear Mr.Shanbag,

Akshay’s family is from KumtaHe is very passionate about the area, and intends to move there soon and work for development there.

I live in Bangalore and have a shop which sells handmade, natural products – apparel, accessories and more, made by craft and self-empowerment groups.

Hopefully, I will soon leave Bangalore, where I live right now, and if God is kind, live in Kumta someday. Till then, me, and all of us partnering with Eco-watch and the work they do in the area, will do our best. Please do let me know if there is anyway we could all meet sometime when you are next in Kumta ? It would be wonderful to meet and share ideas.

With warm regards
Aliyeh Rizvi

By: anita parande

anita parande — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:27:57 +0000

hi arun,
had visited yr blog earlier and was so glad to read abt kumta…a place i’ve visited so often when i was a kid .. my ‘mavshi’ lives there( her hubby’s name is damodar pai…do u know him??)…also i happen to know yr cousin
smita muzumdar…we live in the same condo in s’pore( in fact i put 2 n 2( the kumta /colaba connection) together n asked her one day if she knows u !!)
really appreciate the noble cause that u r doing for the needy students…wud like to contribute in some way …pl let me know how?
also i’ve my brother living in andover ( dr atul bhat)…think he’s heard of u…will be visiting him soon
best wishes n keep writing…
anita

By: Arun Shanbhag

Arun Shanbhag — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:08:50 +0000

Sharath – thank you for your kind support!
Yes, i hope these humble beginnings propel the students forward to more fulfilling lifes – and we hope their kids do even better.

So, that makes the work so much more important.
Thank you for your kindness!