Kashi Vishwanath Corridor’s Karnataka connection – Nitin Gokarna!

Honnavar: Recently inaugurated Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor project that transformed the Historic Kashi for enhancing tourists and pilgrims’ experience of the temple town has attracted much attention all over India and abroad. One of the dream projects of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi it caught the eyeball of the nation during the glitzy inauguration. But not many know of the project’s southern connection — Nitin Gokarna — an official who oversaw the implementation of the project.

The responsibility for implementing the Rs 339 Crore Kashi project fell on Nitin Ramesh Gorkarna’s shoulders after he was appointed the Principal Secretary of Public Works Department(PWD) and Chairman of UPRNN. He and his team prepared the blueprint for the transformation and its successful implementation.

The Gokarna Connection:

Nitin has roots in Gokarna in the Uttara Kannada district. His grandfather was born in a Saraswat family at Bijjur in Gokarna but moved to Mumbai, along with his family, for a job in the railways six decades ago. Nitin was born and raised in Mumbai. He later went on to ace the UPSC examination and became an IAS officer.

His surname Gokarna is a testament to his roots in the temple town in Uttara Kannada. Interestingly, the town of Gokarna is renowned as “Dakshin Kashi” (Kashi of the South).  It is only fitting that the project in historic Kashi was implemented under Nitin’s leadership.

Nitin had been selected as an IPS officer and had a brief stint as a police official. However, he reappeared for the UPSC examination and gained entry into the coveted IAS service.

Being the Prime Ministers’ dream project, the Kashi corridor was expected to showcase India’s Sanatan culture and spirituality to the world audience. Beautifying Kashi and providing modern facilities all the while protecting gits history and heritage was a huge challenge. However, Nitin and his team have done a commendable job and have managed to deliver the project as per expectations in record time.

Despite being away in UP, Nitin has not forgotten his Gokarna roots. He and his family have visited the town several times for attending weddings, and religious rituals at the family’s ancestral home. Two years ago, the newly formed Gokarna Non-resident Association was inaugurated by him here. He had revealed his ideas for developing Gokarna and assured his cooperation for the same.

Nitin is also well versed with the history and significance of Gokarna. This gives hope, that one day, ‘Dakshin Kashi’ Gokarna too will be developed on the lines of Kashi.

(Original article in Kannada by JiYu Honnavar)