Page 25 - Mann Ki Baat

KALMANE KAMEGOWDA

Months of hard work later - And soon enough -

Now all I have I can’t believe
to do is wait for the my eyes. Drink
monsoon. If the rain away you lovely
gods bless us, this creatures. This is
pond shall be full all for you!
of water.

Cattle, sheep, goats and even wild animals
began to drink water from the pond.
This was just the beginning. Over For his tremendous Kamegowda continued working on
the next 40 years, Kamegowda efforts, Kamegowda the ponds till he passed away in
spent over Rs 15 lakhs to build received many October 2022 at the age of 84.
16 ponds, making him popular as awards including the the story of this man from a tiny
Karnataka’s Pond man. One day - Basavashree award village in Mandya has become an
I’m a reporter and and the Karnataka inspiration for environmentalists
I want to know your Rajyotsava award. throughout the country.
story. Tell me what’s
special about these
ponds?
Water flows
down the hill and
fills the ponds. If
one pond is full,
it flows down to
the next. The ponds
are all interlinked I can use the
and so, they never award money
run dry even in for more ponds
summer. and trees.

Along with building ponds,
Kamegowda also planted
thousands of trees and a
banyan grove, completely
transforming the hillock.

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