“Pond man” Kamegowda, who earned praise from PM, passes away

Kalmane Kamegowda, who had earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for engaging in water conservation works by constructing ponds, passed away on Monday due to age-related ailments, sources said.

The octogenarian humble shepherd from Dasanadoddi, popularly known as ”Pond Man” and ”water warrior”, is credited with developing 16 lakes on a barren hillock at his village in Malavalli taluk of this district from his savings and also planted saplings and nurtured them.

Kamegowda, who used to take his sheep and goats to a nearby hill for grazing, and on finding no water for the animals, started digging ponds, locals said, adding that with the collection of rainwater, these lakes have water even during peak summer now.

Highlighting his work, Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ monthly radio address in 2020, had called him an ”extraordinary personality”.

Expressing grief over Kamegowda’s death, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called him a ”water sage” and ”modern Bhagirath”.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and state Congress President D K Shivakumar among others have expressed grief over the death of Kamegowda, a recipient of several awards including Rajyotsava award for his service.