D. Veerendra Heggade, who became the 21st Dharmadhikari of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala in 1968 at the age of 20, is the first head of a temple from Karnataka to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Mr. Heggade, who turns 75 on November 25, 2022, was born to Rathnavarma Heggade and Rathnamma Heggade, as the eldest of five siblings. His father was elected to the erstwhile Mysuru State Legislative Assembly on the Congress ticket from Belthangady constituency in Dakshina Kannada district in 1957. He was considered the architect of transforming Dharmasthala into a modern pilgrimage centre, which serves meals to over 30,000 devotees twice a day.
Rathnavarma’s predecessor, Manjayya Heggade (1889-1955), was an MLC in the erstwhile Madras Province during the British rule.
