The Hindu : Forgotten hero of land reforms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 14, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Forgotten hero of land reforms

By Our Staff Correspondent

Tumkur July 13. N. Hutchamasti Gowda, freedom fighter and former minister, who passed away in Bangalore on Friday, was the last of the old-time politicians in Tumkur District. He leaves his wife, three sons, and a daughter.

Mr. Hutchamasti Gowda was active in politics for 46 years, from 1948 to 1994. He fell ill thereafter and was confined to his house in Yadavani village in Kunigal taluk.

He was a member of the Mysore Representative Assembly (Praja Pratinidhi Sabha) before his election to the Legislative Assembly from Kunigal constituency in Tumkur District. He continued to represent the constituency till it was bifurcated and Huliyurudurga constituency, for which he opted later, was formed. He was defeated by D. Nagarajaiah in 1978. But, Mr. Hutchamasti Gowda won the Huliyurudurga seat again in 1989.

He was the Revenue Minister in the Devaraj Urs Ministry from 1972 to 1978. He was then No. 2 in the Cabinet. He was instrumental in introducing the land reforms, due to which he was virtually boycotted by his own Vokkaliga community and the Lingayats. However, the credit for the land reforms went to Devaraj Urs and Mr. Hutchamasti Gowda's role was forgotten.

A Gandhian and a disciplined Congressman, he was also a staunch socialist. He had concern for the poor and the downtrodden and strove for their upliftment.

He was the Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation in the Veerappa Moily Ministry in 1993-94, when he was appointed the minister in charge of Tumkur District. His was meticulous in reviewing the development works. He used to be well prepared with notes and reports of follow-up action. Tumkur is yet to see a better district in-charge minister.

Mr. Hutchamasti Gowda worked ceaselessly to bring Hemavathy water to Tumkur District. He was responsible for the construction of the Mangala Reservoir and the Markonahalli Dam in the district. It was at this stage that he grew close to the present Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, who was then his colleague in the Moily Ministry. Mr. Krishna called on him at his house in Kunigal taluk in February last year. At every public function here, Mr. Krishna used to praise the political acumen of his former colleague.

Mr. Hutchamasti Gowda, a graduate of Maharaja College in Mysore, studied law in a college in Belgaum. He married into a zamindari family of Chandrashekara Pura in Gubbi taluk and was catapulted to the centre stage of politics in the district. He planned the Hemavathy project in association with C. Byrappaji and Sagaranahlli Revanna, veteran leaders of the area.

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