B.S. Shivanna, general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), is called ‘laptop anna’ by several college students, thanks to his efforts to bridge the digital gap among students belonging to the poor and marginalised sections by distributing laptops for free.
Mr. Shivanna, a native of Bandur village in Malavalli taluk of Mandya, has distributed more than 300 laptops to children of pourakarmikas, street vendors, daily wage earners, and so on, studying in various classes. According to the government data, close to 40% of students have had no access to any gadget in the State, and this gap became stark during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shusheela Koraga, a postgraduate student belonging to the Koraga (ST) community, who is researching on Jenu Kuruba community in the University of Mysore, said the laptop donated by Mr. Shivanna had helped her in the research work. Raghavesh A.N., a resident of Maddur now pursuing MSc in Veterinary Science at IVRI at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, is another beneficiary. “My parents are marginal farmers. I was unable to buy a laptop till my graduation,” he said. He secured 16 gold medals in BSc from Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar.
Also the president of Lohia Vichara Vedike, Mr. Shivanna, who holds engineering and law degrees, said, “I purchase laptops in bulk and donate them to deserving students who are facing financial difficulties but are good in studies.” The Congress leader said his intention is to motivate MPs, legislators, and other rich leaders to come forward and help students.
Mr. Shivanna organises ‘Pratibha Puraskara’ every year in his home town and gives cash awards to students securing more than 85% marks in SSLC and PUC. He has provided free buses to 6,000 students of Malavalli taluk. He also conducts job fairs, the latest one was held in December 2023 at Malavalli.
