Rao Bahadur Yele Mallappa Shetty (Kannada: ರಾವ್ ಬಹದ್ದೂರ್ ಎಲೆ ಮಲ್ಲಪ್ಪ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ), (1815-1887), was an Indian merchant and philanthropist. In the late 19th century when the Bangalore region was suffering from a great drought, He generously donated a large part of his wealth to the construction of a large lake to harvest rainwater and provide respite to the people, now its popularly known as Yele Mallappa Shetty Lake.[1] He also had given financial assistance to set up the Bangalore's first maternity hospital in 1880.[2][3]
Yele Mallappa Shetty | |
|---|---|
| ಎಲೆ ಮಲ್ಲಪ್ಪ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ | |
 Portrait of Yele Mallappa Shetty | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mari Mallappa Shetty 1815 Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore (now in Karnataka) |
| Died | 1887 Bangalore |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Spouse(s) | Sharvanamma (till her death) Honnamma |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Philanthropist, Betel leaf merchant and farmer |
| Known for | • Yele Mallappa Shetty Lake construction • Bangalore Maternity hospital initial setup (1880) • Kadu Malleshwara Temple re-construction |
He was honoured with the title "Rao Bahadur" by the British government for his philanthropy.
Early years
editYele Mallappa Shetty was born in 1815 in a Arya Vysya family of Bangalore. He continued his family business and became a successful and rich Betel leaf merchant.[4]
Shettaru was married to Sharvanamma, together they had two daughters named Nanjamma and Nirvanamma. After the death of his wife Sharvanamma, he was married to Honnamma.
Social work
editIn the late 19th century during Great Famine of 1876–1878 when the Bangalore and surrounding areas were suffering from a great drought, The existing lakes and ponds had dried up and the British Government and the Mysore Kingdom were making all out efforts to meet the challenge of providing water to the parched residents, Yele Mallappa Shetty, generously donated a large part of his own wealth to the construction of huge lake now it is called as Yele Mallappa Shetty Lake to harvest rainwater and provide assistance to the people.[1] As the effect of great draught, local farmers were suffering from food scarcity, Shettaru used them as a daily wage workers to construct the lake by giving financial support. The lake is located in North-East Bangalore, near Whitefield. The 260 acre Yele Mallappa Shetty lake is one of the largest lakes in Bangalore. The lake has the Old Madras Road passing through it.[5] The lake served as a lifeline for people living in its vicinity. Later, it also began supplying water to Bangalore.[6][4]
In 1880, After a death of one of the lake's construction workers during childbirth, Shettaru decided to set up a maternity hospital to help the women across Bangalore surrounding regions. The Bangalore's first government-run maternity hospital with 90 beds was set up on Cenotaph Road (present IGP office place on Nrupathunga Road) through huge financial assistance of Yele Mallappa Shetty. The hospital was popularly known as Yele Mallappa Shetty Maternity Hospital, in 1935, it was shifted and merged with current Vani villas hospital.[2][3]
In Shettaru's last days, He involved in constructing the temple structure around the historic Kadu Malleshwara Temple in Malleswaram. The structure funded by Shettaru came to be completed after his death sometime in 1900.[7]
Honours
edit- Queen Victoria, Empress of India, granted Yele Mallappa Shetty the nobility of "Rao Bahadur".
- A road in Bangarpet (earlier Bowringpet) was named after Yele Mallappa Shetty.[6]
Death
editYele Mallappa shetty died in 1887 at the age of 72.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "The spirit of sharing". The Hindu. 22 March 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b "The health heritage of Bangalore". deccanherald. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b C. Hayavadana Rao, ed. (1 January 1930). "Medical and public health services" (PDF). Karnataka State Gazetteer. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b Mrinhalini Bhat (26 March 2022). "Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai's budget pledge ups hope of lake revival near KR Puram". Times of India. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Yele Mallappa Shetty Lake on Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ a b Aliyeh Rizvi (8 February 2015). "Resident Rendezvoyeur: A large heart". Opinion. Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ K. Chandramouli (29 August 2002). "Home to all faiths". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
Further reading
edit- Book: Random Harvest : Biographical Sketches (Memoir 60) written by Bangalore Puttaiya Radhakrishna Published by GSI, 2005, ISBN 9788185867656.Page-155
- Mysore Gazetteer Vol-v (1930) by C. Hayavadana Rao,1930
- Udaracharitharu Udattaprasangagalu by T. V. Venkatachala Sastry, 2013, ASIN B0733GTWX6
- Biography of 'Yele Mallappa Shetty' written by Jaya Rajashekar