Mangaluru, April 9: Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala recipient of Padma Vibhushan award was extended a warm welcome at Mangalore International Airport here on Thursday April 9th.
Addressing the media at the airport, Dr D Veerendra Heggade expressed his gratitude to the President and the government of India for felicitating him with Padma Vibhushan award.
Along with serving the lord, it is my duty to work for the betterment of the people. I have taken the message of lord Manjunathaswamy very seriously, provided ‘anna dasoha’ to the people and strived to fulfill their needs. I have followed the path shown by my ancestors and rendered the possible best service, he said.
My wife and family have immensely supported me in all my work. I thank everyone for their support. My happiness to see all the people who have gathered here to welcome me is the same I had experienced while I received this award. I thank one and all for their love and affection, said Dr Heggade.
Dr Heggade’s wife Hemavathi who was also present, said, this award was presented in recognition of our rural development project and other service-oriented schemes. Just as poor people’s lives prospered through these programmes, our life too has prospered, which is evident from this award.
Huge crowd had gathered at the airport to receive Dr Heggade.
Among the dignitaries who arrived at the airport to receive Dr Heggadde were Surendra Kumar Hegde, Beltangady MLA Vasanth Bangera, former airport director M R Vasudeva.
