Foundation stone laid for Gurubhavan in Bhatkal; project estimated at ₹5 crore

Bhatkal: Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister Mankal S. Vaidya on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a proposed Gurubhavan building in Bhatkal, to come up along Sagar Road at an estimated cost of ₹5 crore.

The foundation ceremony was followed by a programme held at the auditorium of Guruvidyadhiraj Pre-University College, organised by the Government Employees’ Association in association with the Gurubhavan Committee.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister spoke about the role of teachers in society, stating that they play a key part in guiding students and shaping the future of the country. He said the teaching community continues to enjoy trust and respect for its contribution to building responsible citizens.

Referring to the project, Vaidya said the site for the Gurubhavan had been identified and allotted during his earlier tenure as MLA, but the work could not take off for several years. With construction now set to begin, he expressed hope that the facility would be ready in time to host future programmes, including Guru Vandana.

He said the state government has released ₹50 lakh for the project, while the remaining amount will be raised through public contributions. He called upon teachers and well-wishers to support the initiative and treat it as a shared responsibility.

Government Employees’ Association president M.N. Naik said the plan to have a dedicated Gurubhavan for teachers had been pending for a long time and thanked the minister for helping move the project forward. He also appealed to members of the teaching community to contribute towards completing the building.

Tahsildar Nagendra Kolashetti, Block Education Officer Venkatesh Naik, Block Resource Coordinator Poornima Moger and Block Congress president Venkatesh Naik were present.

During the programme, meritorious students, who are children of government employees and had performed well in SSLC and PUC examinations, were felicitated. The minister and several achievers from different fields were also honoured on the occasion.