ANANTAPUR: Sri Krishnadevaraya University will mark its 21st Annual Convocation on Monday with AP Governor Abdul Nazeer, the chief guest, awarding B.K. Mahantesh, founder of Samarthan, an honorary doctorate.
Mahantesh, who is visually challenged, has through his organisation Samarthan helped improve lives of visually and physically challenged people across the country and abroad.
The Samarthan founder, born in Belgaum district of Karnataka in 1970, lost his vision due to typhoid when he was six-months old. He completed his school education at his native village. He went on to complete his MA and M. Phil from Ramana Maharshi School for the Blind. He worked as an English lecturer at a law college and founded Samarthan Trust in 1997 to serve visually and physically challenged children.
Mahantesh provides education, skills and coaching to the challenged, so that they can find employment. He has been the president of World Blind Cricket Limited. Presently, he is president of CABI (Cricket Association for the Blind in India) and is an adviser to the centre.
The Samarthan founder has extended services to the US, the UK, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He recently established an institute for the challenged at Kodikonda checkpost in Satya Sai district.
Apart from awarding honorary doctorate to Mahantesh, the AP Governor will visit Vijayanagar Law College in Anantapur.
Police have made the necessary security arrangements for the visit of Abdul Nazeer.
