Ooty: As this year marks the 125th birth anniversary of Rao Bahadur H.B. Ari Gowder, a multi-faceted Badaga leader who is fondly known here as the ‘father of the co-operative movement’ in the Nilgiris, the Badagas, who constitute the single largest ethnic community in the Nilgiris, demand that the government set up a memorial in his honour, and institute an award in his name to distribute to the best serving co-operative society in the state.
While the celebrations of the 125th birth anniversary of Ari Gowder began on Tuesday with Badaga leaders paying tributes to his statue at the premises of the Nilgiris Co-op Marketing Society (NCMS) here, the Baduga Desam Party (BDP), a local political outfit here, has urged the state government to organise a function to honour this great leader from the hills, and set up a memorial for him.
BDP president, Manjai V. Mohan, said that Ari Gowder was the first graduate as well as the first lawmaker from the Badaga community.
“He was instrumental in establishing the NCMS, which is now running with over 40,000 farmer members. His work and contribution towards the people of the Nilgiris and to bring higher education to the hills are well established. He lived for the Nilgiris and was known for his peerless community services,” he noted.
“Ari Gowder commanded such respect amongst the Badaga community that his words were taken as the final words in any issue or discussions during those days. Ari Gowder led the Indian contingent to the World Scouts Jamboree held in Budapest in Hungary in 1932. He was also chairman of the district board of the Nilgiris in the past. Above all, he was a philanthropist who always lent his helping hands to the needy. He was the president of the NCMS for nearly three decades,” added Mohan.
