It is a daylong journey -stretching late to the evening; starting at Mulund in the morning to Ambarnath, back to Thane and then to Dadar and lastlyback home to Mulund! This is everyday life style; a journey to success of Sri.Dharmapal Devadiga - Presdent Par Excellnce!

On my recent visit to Mumbai I was a passenger in this daily routine of the President of Devadiga Sangha- a premier & senior community welfare association at Mumbai. Grabbing the opportunity I probed in to this ‘Kya Kool Hai’ personality and that inspired me to write about him.

If at all there can be an inspiration to the present day youth about how to shape their independent future, here is an example of how Mumbai had inspired many of South Kanaraian men with independent thinking to prosper and be successful. One among many of those who fought their life to achieve grater heights is our own ‘Dharamnna’- as he is fondly called.

Our visit to the new Sri Satyanarayana Industrial Supplies plant started with devotional Pooja of the Lords in the special room at the entrance. Dharmapal is a very devotional and his starts off  both at home and at work in a very spiritual note.

My self and the senior comunity leader Mr.S.K Shriyan, who accompanied me, then sat in the MD’s Chamber and probed to peep in to the past & present of this smartly and immaculately dressed gentleman.

Dharmapal U Devadiga was born on 10th Dec 1952 at Kaup, Udupi to Shri Ummanna Devadiga and Smt. Appi U Devadiga and is the eldest son of eight children. After his primary education at Kaup, he continued his education in Mumbai.

At the age of 9 (1962) during the China War days he was studying at NKES School he developed interest in 'Engineering' and there after aspired to start his own workshop. At the young age, Shri Devadiga was direction-less with an unforeseen future. But his determination to not work under anyone but to have his own identity resulted in starting his own workshop at Narayana Nagar Ghatkopur.Later it became to know as the successful M/s Satyanarayana Industrial Supplies. He remembers the hardship he underwent between 1977-1985 which made him tough and innovative. He undertook serious of creative and challenging strategies in manafacturing and marketing by himself and over come with pride the period of tough time.The hard work with innovative ideas made Shri Devadiga a successful businessman. He converted his workshop into a small-scale industry within a short span of time. A man who always cares for the quality, Shri Devadiga became a name to reckon with in the Engineering and Fabrication Industry. The list of his clients includes Maruti udyog Bajaj limited Mahindra & Mahindra, Halen Josts India limited etc. to name a few. Recently he has converted the business into a private limited company and acquired a plot at MIDC, and set up new plant at Ambernath . The growth of his company is laudable in a short span of time and the tunover now exceed 6 Crores. This Pvt Ltd company with he and his wife as Directors is now a ISO 9001 certified company.The third Unit will be commisioned in June 2005 at Ambernath itslef and will be named as Sri Satya Engg.Works.

He is also associated with a medium scale industry M/s Navdeep enterprises managed by his wife Smt. Sujatha D Devadiga which is manufacturing the packing for the pharmaceutical industries.

Shri Devadiga has widely traveled in India and abroad and is a soft-spoken man rendering his social activities silently. He is the director, community development of Rotary club of Mulund [East], Mumbai.

Shri Devadiga is an active member of Sangha over the last 2 decades and was its Vice president for 2 terms before occupying this coveted post of President of Sangha in 1997. Now serving for the consecutive third term he has created a history of sort in the annals of the sangha.He has initiated a number of bold steps for the betterment of the community in general and members in particular. He is the founder chairman of the Akshaya Co-operative credit society started at Chembur, which is performing exceedingly well. Under his president ship, the Dadar sub-office is converted into a multi purpose mini hall catering to the needs of the people in and around Dadar.

The efforts of his team bore fruit when CIDCO allotted a plot of land of about 11,000 Sq. Ft. areas at Nerul for construction of Devadiga Bhavan- a regional cultural center at a cost at Rs. 1.50 crores. He has taken special efforts to mobilise funds for medical relief and to help the poor and the needy. His innovative ideas are endorsed and encouraged by the community members.

His concern for the environmental friendly industries especially in Mangalore and Udupi District has made him to actively associate with the Jaya Krishna Prisara Premi samithi and he is now the Vice President.

Married (28th Jan 1981) to Smt. Sujatha D. Devadiga, daughter of Shri C. K. Devadiga and Smt. Jalaja C. Devadiga, a leading hotelier of Karad, the couple is blessed with a daughter Dr.Poonam and a son Pavan who is studying Engineering and being groomed to take over the company in the coming years.

A peep in to the life and achievements of Sri.Dharmapal has convinced me that if you dream realistically with determination and clear-cut focus and ability to do hard work. one can be successful.

We look forward to his able leadership for better tomorrow and pray Lord Almighty to bestow him all prosperity & happiness in life.