KP NANJUNDI VISHWAKARMA
He was born in a very poor Goldsmith [Vishwakarma] Family dwelling in a slum. The slum was the habitat for poor families from all and different communities. He has grown up experiencing and watching the people suffering from rampant poverty, hunger, sickness, frustration, hopelessness and at times turning violent. This slum life has provided a deep insight into the beliefs, dogmas and approach towards life of various religions and communities. This life did inculcate the values of tolerance, empathy and secularism which he now cherishes the most.
The childhood had been very painful. His parents were goldsmith artisans working on meager daily wages. Generally, since Vishwakarma wards, right from childhood, are introduced into the traditional family occupation, they do not get formal education. Yet, luckily he got the opportunity to go to school. As he had developed an affinity towards education, he joined High School and was earning bread for self and family by working after school timings. Thus, struggling and with perseverance he graduated.
This terrific life far had a strong influence on him. He had determined to come up in life and strive for upliftment of the poor and downtrodden. He struggled hard in various fields and blossomed as an entrepreneur, artist, columnist, film and TV Serial Producer, distributor and philanthropic Social Worker.
Once settling down in life, he decided to realize his burning desire to serve the society. He started various activities for the welfare of the poor, downtrodden and victims of social evils. He has also organized the Vishwakarma Community in the State.
Worried about the condition of the Vishwakarma community, he made humble efforts to organize the community with a view to bringing awareness and to taking remedial measures to avert the impending total disaster caused due to advent of modern machineries and foray of Big Business Houses into the occupations carried on by Vishwakarma Community. Thanks to his amazing organizational skills, gift of gab, leadership qualities and empathy towards poor, within a span of 8 years, he could get the community systematically organized from grass-root village level to state level under “Vishwakarma Mahasabha”
Considering his potential and recognizing his organizational skills, Shri Oscar Fernandes-ji, recommended his name for the post of General Secretary, KPCC. He is also instrumental in getting 20 active leaders of the community into KPCC as members. As a loyal worker of the Congress Party, he has relentlessly served the party. As observer of the party during elections, he was instrumental in striking amity among the warring factions of the party in parts of Tamilnadu and Dakshina Kannada Districts.
He has built a very strong band of around 20,000 dedicated volunteers who can be pressed into service at any given point of time.
Besides, community, social and political activities, he is also engaged in the field of art for the last 15 years. He is acting in Films, producing and distributing films. Presently, he is acting and producing a Kannada Serial “Gangothri” with a central theme of “Empowerment of Women”. The Serial is telecast twice daily and is at the top of TRP, perhaps, the only serial with such a distinction. The serial is on air for the last 4 years in DD-I between 5-05PM and 5-30 PM and in Chandana between 08-30 PM and 09-00PM continuously eliciting good reviews from critics and tremendous fan following. It will be completing 1000th episode by August, 2011, a record in Kannada Tele-serials.
He is also bringing out a fortnightly “Namo Vishwakarma” penning regular columns educating the community and spreading awareness.
He is blessed with the gift of gab and is a crowd puller.
In order to ensure that the genius of Goldsmiths is not lost and traditional artistic jewellery is made available to the public, he has opened a chain of Jewellery Show Rooms, with focus on handmade jewels, which has presently 4 branches and many more on the anvil. These show rooms are very popular in the state.