When Barkur.com was opened in December 2001, we introduced this site using one of this following line: " This is just a beginning towards a larger objective, to include Barkurians in all walks of life, culture, and faith in this mainstream…."  We did a fairly good job in presenting a few living ones in our 'Personality of the Month', POM column.  While continuing this POM column, now, we want to depict the Barkurians who are no more with us physically, but mere memories to some or unwritten history to many others.

"Famous ones need not be Great and Great ones may not be Famous. Scores of such 'great ones' lived in our Barkur - few left relics and legacies behind, like the Educational Institutions, Hospitals, Roads, Bridges, Dams, and Houses of God, etc.  These people lived a saintly life in the service of society, not craving for fame, name, or fortune for themselves," observes Archibald Furtado of Nagarmut.

"We, the beneficiaries, have an obligation to express gratitude and show respect to all those personalities, posthumously of course, for their sacrifices in helping to shape the present Barkur, and for improving the lifestyles of Barkurians," says James Fernandes, of Moodahadu Kudru.

With these views in mind, and in response to many of our readers' desire to know and learn from such personalities, for the benefit and knowledge of the present and future generations, Barkuronline is delighted to open a new column named, "Hall of Famers of Yester Barkur," to present and honor a few personalities and their praiseworthy contribution to Barkur.

Folks, please share your candid memories, comments, or kudos.  These will be presented in our widely read popular Sandesh column.  Feel free to recommend your worthy choices, along with some bio-data including the legacy they left behind, and we will accommodate them in this new column to the our best of ability.  Who knows, these might wind up in a book form, Gods-willing! Thank you for your continued support.

-Barkuronline.com team, January, 2004.

Archives

J. P Sequeira
P.N.Bhojarao
Fr. Alfred Roche
Yajna Narayana Rao
Jerome R. Picardo
KTN Raman Nambiar
Dr.Sreenivasa Hebbar

Barkuronline.com and its team is proud to present yet another outstanding HOF, Dr. Krishna Bairi, and his praiseworthy contributions for the utmost benefit of Barkur and its vicinity.  May his soul rest in peace. We would like to thank Mr. Srinivasa Bairi for this article.

LIFE & WORK - DR.B.KRISHNA BAIRI

The above recommendation/appreciation certificate issued by Mr. Roque Fernandes, the respected Headmaster of the Board High School, Udupi, is an indicator of the caliber of Dr. B. Krishna Bairi who was born in Barkur and served in Barkur as the Registered Medical Practitioner after obtaining his medical diploma ALIM from Indian School of Medicine, Madras in the year 1935, for the rest of his life.  As correctly foreseen by the Headmaster, Dr. Krishna Bairi distinguished himself in life in many spheres, as a doctor and as leader in society who gave his best to the cause of healthcare, education and general progress of Barkur and its surrounding places.

EARLY LIFE: Dr. Krishna Bairi was born in Mudukeri, Barkur in the year 1908 as the second son of Sri Narayana Bairi, a vedic scholar & purohit, and to Smt. Radha.   He had his primary education in the school founded by his father in Hanehalli village of Barkur.  For his high school education, he joined the Board High School, Udupi.  Due to poverty, he had to work in the house of a benevolent Brahmin family helping in their daily worship of family deity and other petty household chores.  The family provided food and stay at their home.  He was a brilliant and popular student.  He passed his SSLC in the year 1925 standing first in the class and thus winning the coveted Haji Kasim prize.  He could not join College due to lack of money and took up a job with Dr. Halsanad Rao in Coondapoor.  He worked there for a few years as compounder.  This is where he got the inspiration to become a doctor.  He decided to pursue medical education, a very bold and adventurous step for a poor lad of those dark and lean years.  He joined the prestigious Indian School of Medicine, Madras. He was staying in Sri Ramakrishna Ashram Hostel where room and board was free for worthy poor students.  He had to walk 4 miles to attend his medical school.  He obtained his medical diploma in 1935 and returned to Barkur to start his professional life.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE:  He was the first private medical practitioner with a medical diploma in Barkur which had a government hospital, and famous traditional Ayurvedic physicians.   For a radius of over 10 miles the people needing private medical help found in Dr. Krishna Bairi a very understanding, competent family doctor. 

He was readily available for consultancy, visit and treatment for all, rich and poor, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, educated, illiterate, land lords, or serfs.  He was ready to respond to calls in the dead of the night, in heavy rains, to places to be reached by boats, walking or bicycle.  He was much loved and respected by people in Barkur and all nearby villages and towns.  He was using both ayurveda and allopathy judiciously as per his training and was successful in earning the confidence of the people and good name as ‘our doctor’.

PUBLIC LIFE:

I.  Knowing the value of education and remembering the hardship he had to undergo in obtaining good education in distant places, he gave his best for starting a high school in Barkur when likeminded people worked together for the creation of Barkur Educational Society with the blessings and Presidentship of His Holiness, Sri Sri Vidyamanya Theertha Swamiji of  Sri Bhandarkeri Mutt in 1946.  He was the first manager and correspondent of the National High School Barkur.  Inspite of his busy professional life as private doctor for a region of about 10 miles radius, he dedicated himself for establishment and development of the National High School for the initial 10 years.  The outstanding Headmaster and the team of teachers were identified and enthused to join and serve in Barkur by Dr. Bairi.  He was highly instrumental in the completion of the main school building.  He had to make trips to Madras to meet and to get clearance from officials, ministers at various stages of the growth of the high school.  He was also responsible for day-to-day administration of the school and gave full academic freedom to headmaster Mr. P. N. Bhoja Rao.  There were frequent meetings for exchange of ideas and opinions for the smooth running and development of the school.  He personally followed & supervised the building activities each day.  The salary to teaching and non-teaching staff was paid regularly on the first of each month irrespective of funds being available, even borrowing money from Bank against personal security of household jewelry.  He had to make frequent trips to far and near towns and villages to raise funds.  The trust & the respect the people had for him gave him the strength and courage to work with likeminded people of the place to establish the National high School, Barkur as a very good school.  The people who saw and worked with him have highly appreciative words for his contribution during this period.

II.  He was instrumental in upgrading the postal services in Barkur by constant appeal & representation to government authorities about the need of the same and mobilizing the required effort from the people of Barkur.

III. His counsel and suggestions were sought by people of all walks of life in matters of their children’s education, career, personal enterprise.  He considered it as his duty and obligation (dharma) to offer his ideas & guidance to the needy, without expecting anything in return.

IV.  He was a good speaker on public platforms capable of creating the right awareness about matters relating to cultural, political, economical and spiritual needs of the people.

V.  He took responsibility and leadership of the renovations of places of worship characteristic of our culture and tradition.

VI.  He always provided to public a sane voice for all the sections of people to live as harmonious community with mutual respect and regard.

He had the willpower to rise above his physical ailments like asthma, diabetes, cardiac problems, and be active physically, mentally professionally even to his last day.  He had a heart attack & breathed his last on 15^th October 1978 evening.

He was known for his great administrative ability, humane nature, keen intellect, vast knowledge, courage and dedication for public life and service.

HIS PERSONALITY: - Dr. Krishna Bairi was a cheerful person with positive outlook of life.  He was dignified and self respecting by nature.  He was disciplined in life and was frank and forthright in expressing his views.  He was bold to take up big responsibilities and successfully complete the projects undertaken with sincere, systematic and untiring effort. He was very humane and noble in his dealings with fellow human beings.  He was a loving and caring parent.  He was an example for simple living and high thinking.  He was a deeply religious and spiritual person.  His motto in life was to do ‘good’ to others whenever possible and never to do anything harmful to others. 

Children of Dr. B. Krishna Bairi:

1. Dr. B. Meera,  SSLC 1953, NHS, Barkur. 1^st in school, B.Sc, 1957 1^st class, M.Sc 1959 1^st  class,   BHU Varanasi Ph.D. I.I.Sc. Bangalore. Served in VJTI Bombay as lecturer.  Post doctoral work in UK joined A.I.I.H and P.H. Culcutta and retired as professor in 1996.

2. B. Srinivasa Bairi, S.S.L.C 1959, NHS Barkur, B.E.  Mech. 1967 KREC, M.Tech I.I.T. Madras 1973, Serving at MIT Manipal since 1967, 1983 Professor, 1985-1992 HOD Mech, 1989-2001 Vice Principal, 2001 to date as Joint Director

3. Sri B. Mohanadasa Bairi, LME Hassan, served in XLO Mumbai, an Entrepreneur

4. Smt. Amba Devi, B. Sc.  MGM College, M. Sc. Physiology.  Serving as a lecturer in   Kempegowda Medical College , Bangalore

Written By: B. Srinivasa Bairi, December 2004.