Mangaluru: Nearly three decades after retiring, former headmaster of Kedila Higher Primary Kannada medium aided School in Bantwal, K Subraya Bhat, chose to dedicate his life not to leisure, but to come back to the very place where his teaching journey began. Interestingly, he also studied at the same school.After living in Bengaluru for 28 years, Bhat returned to his native with a simple thought of spending his time meaningfully. Since then, he has been helping children revise their Kannada and Math lessons. “It keeps me healthy, and helps the students too,” Bhat told TOI. He resides about three kilometres away from the school.“At a time when everyone wants to send their children to English-medium schools, even at exorbitant fees, our Kannada schools need to be nurtured. Retired teachers can make a difference if they step forward and help Kannada and govt schools,” Subraya expressed.Until last year, he would spend the entire day with the students. Now, with an additional teacher appointed under the Jnana Deepa scheme of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Programme, Bhat comes only in the mornings.Retired in 1993, Subraya’s presence, extends beyond academics. Known for rewarding students with small gifts for their performance, Bhat has become a beloved figure on campus, said school convenor Subrahmanya Bhat Beedige. He said, “Subraya is not just popular with students; he is an inspiration for all of us. Our aim has always been to save the school that has completed over 100 years. The school was established in 1907. There is a lot of sentiment attached to this school. When the school strength started dropping, we reached out to several philanthropists, including Subraya Bhat. While he donated Rs 15 lakh for the school’s development, he decided to return to the school. With the donation, we were able to introduce English classes at a minimal fee. Subraya has single-handedly raised over Rs 3 lakh and deposited it in the Kedila Co-operative Society to create a fund that can support teachers’ honorarium,” added Subrahmanya.The school hopes to increase its strength, which is 62, from LKG to Class 7. With Subraya rendering his service, the school has found both a mentor and a benefactor, said Subramanya.
