Unwavering commitment to Freedom: MD Adhikari and Kamalavati's heroic struggle

In Karkala, a significant contribution to the movement against British colonial rule came from a notable couple, MD Adhikari, and Kamalavati. They achieved a historic milestone as the first couple from the coastal district to actively participate in this struggle.

Kamalavati, a dedicated activist, displayed remarkable courage by being imprisoned for allowing a child to be reunited with its mother when the child was just one year old.

Kamalavati was born to Antappa Konde of Padukudur Bedu and Cheluvamma of Padayuruguthu in 1921. Hailing from Puttur, she was married to MD Adhikari when she turned 17 years old. Their son was born when Kamalavati was 18. A pivotal moment occurred when Kamalavati overheard a conversation about women’s participation in satyagraha while speaking with an officer on the phone. Inspired, she organized a women’s movement in Puttur and initiated their struggle. However, she was arrested by the police and sent to Vellore Jail, where she endured a six-month imprisonment.

MD, born in 1913 in Mudradi of Adhikari Karkala Taluk, was the son of Soodi Bojappa Heggade and Shivadevi. In 1942, he played an active role in the freedom struggle by delivering a speech at a meeting in Mangaluru, during which he was brutally beaten by the police, resulting in severe head injuries and loss of consciousness.

The impact of the police baton strike didn’t deter MD; instead, he returned to the field of action immediately after regaining consciousness. When asked by the attending doctor if he intended to resume his activities, he responded, “If you let me go, I’m ready to go right now.” Subsequently, after his recovery, MD was re-arrested and sent to Bellary Jail, where he served a one-year sentence. These remarkable individuals bravely declined the honorarium offered by the central government to freedom fighters in later years, reflecting their unwavering patriotic commitment.