Kannada Sangha Bahrain (KSB) has been a “Karnataka within Bahrain”, since four decades, for many Kannadigas and Kannaditis living in Bahrain. It has been a hub of various cultural, religious, spiritual and sporting activities.
The KSB dreamt of having a building of its own and had the designs and plans in place. It distributed brochures among its members.
Kannada Sangha Bahrain awarded the construction contract to Cem-Tech International Construction WLL. Kannada Sangha Bahrain President Pradeep Shetty and Cem-Tech International Construction WLL Chairman Sisel Panayil Soman signed the construction deal.
Kannada Sangha Bahrain building committee chairman Austin Santhosh, Cem-Tech General Manager Santhi Joshua, KSB Treasurer Praveen Shetty, Kannadiga businessman Amarnath Rai and Technical Committee Members Mahesh Kumar, Anil Dhiraje and Venugopal were present on the occasion.
The contract for the first phase of the building was signed on February 3, 2019. Mr. Pradeep Shetty, President of Kannada Sangha Bahrain and Mr. Sisel Soman, Chairman, Cem-Tech International Construction WLL signed the contract in presence of Consultant Mr. Ilan Kumaran, KSB Building Committee Chairman Mr. austin Santhosh, KSB General Secretary Mr. Kiran Upadhyay and Cem Tech General Manager Mr. Santi Joshua. Treasurer Mr. Praveen Shetty, Kannadiga Businessman Mr. Amarnath Rai, Technacal Committee Members Mr. Mahesh Kumar, Mr. Anil Dhiraje, Mr. Venugopal. Many KSB Committee Members and CemTech Representatives were present during the event.
Kannada Bhavana – A unique project
Kannada Sangha Bahrain’s Kannada Bhavana project is a long-cherished dream of every Kannadiga on the island. It will be a community centre; a cultural arena; a home away from home. In short, a little Karnataka in this ‘Pearl of the Gulf’.
For the last more than four decades the Sangha has provided solace to thousands of Kannadigas – socially and culturally. They could come every day, spend time engaging in their hobbies or with friends. With the increasing number of Kannadigas in the country, the need for larger and better facilities was felt and hence was born our dream project – Kannada Bhavana.
Since it will be the first project of its type outside of India, the Sangha has decided to expand the scope for it to become a cultural and research centre for the entire Gulf Kannada community.
FACILITIES
According to Kiran Upadhyaya, KSB secretary, the first phase of the construction of the Kannada Bhavana project will be Ground (parking) plus three floor building. The project will house a 400-seat auditorium; a full-fledged library and research centre, classrooms for imparting training and tuition; offices; indoor sports facilities; a café lounge; and meeting rooms. With a view to making it a self-sustainable complex, we will also have some commercial space to rent out.
International News Desk
Sisel Panayil Soman
COO, Middle-East Region, IndSamachar, Bahrain
