M. Srinivas Ballal: A dedicated teacher with social commitment

By Dr. Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 04 September 2010: Teaching is his profession, however, social commitment has been his mission. While distinguishing himself as a dedicated and popular teacher among his numerous students, past and present as well as among his colleagues, M. Srinivas Ballal who has been teaching Kannda subject in St. Lawrence Composite PU College since past twenty years has never lost sight of his social commitments such as working for the welfare of the farmers in different capacities, agitating for better compensation for those whose land was acquired by the Konkan Railway Corporation, teaching yoga free of charge, fighting against bribe and corruption and delivering lectures at various forums to spread awareness on social issues. Besides being a sincere and effective teacher, Srinivas Ballal has been rendering voluntary service in St. Lawrence Composite PU College supervising the midday meal to hundreds of high school and PU College students.

 

 

Srinivas Ballal was born on 30 April 1955 to Haridas Ballal and Kamalakshi belonging to Shivalli Brahmin family with agricultural background and residing at Mallampalli near Perampalli in Udupi Taluk. Srinivas had his early education in the Gundibailu Higher Primary School and high school studies in the Government Composite PU College, Udupi where he completed SSLC and continued PUC studies in the same institution as the student of the first batch. Later, he got enrolled in the MGM College, Udupi for graduate studies and acquired BA degree with Kannada as major subject securing first position among 37 students of his batch.

 

Srinivas was not only an intelligent and hardworking student, but also took active part in extra-curricular activities such as elocution, debating and acting in plays. He also developed leadership qualities and was the secretary of the Kannada Sangha in the college.

 

Having a desire to become a teacher, Srinivas joined Manipal College of Education at Kunjibettu for B.Ed. course. Here too he manifested his talents by participating in many curricular and co-curricular activities. Realising the value of higher education, Srinivas acquired MA degree in Kannada subject from the Karnataka University, Dharwad.

 

Having acquired the necessary qualification, Srinivas got his first appointment as a teacher in the Pompeii High School, Urwa in Mangalore in August 1977 where he worked for one year. Thereafter, being on the staff of the Catholic Board of Education (CBE), Srinivas was transferred to St. Joseph’s Composite PU College at Bajpe in 1978 where he served for twelve years till he was once again transferred to his present position in St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle in 1990. Incidentally, M. Srinivas Ballal has just completed twenty years of his dedicated service in this institution.

 

During the last thirty-three years of service in three different educational institutions administered by the CBE, M. Srinivas Ballal had very good relations with all the managements. With his vast experience, Srinivas Ballal has been teaching the subject of Kannada including the difficult grammar in lucid and lively manner which could be grasped by any average student. The fact that consistently the students have been performing very well in the subject of Kannada in the Board Examination including two of his tenth standard students, Poorna Nayak and Caroline scoring 124 marks out of 125 manifests the calibre of Ballal Sir as an effective teacher.

 

Besides teaching the prescribed curriculum, Srinivas Ballal also instructs students in other lessons that would be useful in their lives. He has been training the students in yoga, pranayam and various mudras before the beginning of the classes so that the students can relax and develop concentration on studies. He has been an integral part of the training of the students in the Pratibha Karanji competitions. During the last year’s Cluster level competition, the students of St. Lawrence High School won as many as fifteen prizes and three at the Udupi taluk and district level competitions.

 

Srinivas Ballal is an experienced hand in administrative field. He has been unanimously selected as the ‘coordinator’ of the high school section and has been one of the ‘Core Committee’ members in St. Lawrence Composite PU College. Being one of the senior teachers he has won the confidence of the Principal to such an extent that on important matters of activities related to students, the latter seeks his opinion and advice.

 

One of the most significant responsibilities that Srinivas Ballal has been shouldering in the Composite PU College is managing of the midday meal also known as ‘bisi-oota’. Around 700 students from high school as well as PUC section take their midday meal at the canteen for six days. He is responsible for many aspects associated with the midday meal right from keeping the account to the preparation of quality food, cleanliness in and around the canteen, supply of provisions such as rice, vegetables, pulses and masala and also payment to the cooks and helpers. According to Srinivas Ballal good quality and wholesome food is being served to all the students.

 

 

As the PUC students are not covered by the government grant for the midday meal, they are served meal at the cost of mere four rupees per head per day. However, about 20 students from poor families are being served free food. Some of the generous donors have been subsidising the meal for these students. Srinivas Ballal says that the confidence that the Principal has reposed in him and the cooperation of all the teachers enables him to carry on this additional responsibility with ease and without any tension. Those guests who visit the school-college complex during noon have been always treated with tea and snacks or even meal by Ballal Sir.

 

Srinivas Ballal has been an efficient organiser. Last year he was instrumental in organizing the Udupi District level workshop of the Kannada teachers in Moodubelle for which he earned the appreciation from one and all. This also brought credit to St. Lawrence Composite PU College as one of the few institutions that can host large scale workshops and conferences. It was during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of St. Lawrence High School that Srinivas Ballal manifested his organising capacity by making excellent arrangement of refreshments and meals to guests, volunteers and even students during all three days of the celebrations during the last week of December 2009.

 

 

Besides his service to the educational institution, Srinivas Ballal has been a social activist and has rendered his voice in different capacities to the disadvantaged sections of the society including the farmers and those whose land was acquired by the Konkan Railway Corporation without proper compensation. He had been in the forefront of many agitations in favour of the farmers. He was the secretary of the organisation that was fighting for reasonable compensation for the victims of the land acquisition by the Konkan Railway Corporation. Srinivas Ballal made a deep study of the land acquisition law and organised a ten days protest along with the displaced persons and made the Deputy Commissioner to see reason about the rights of the victims of land acquisition. As the secretary of the organisation, Srinivas Ballal even made an appeal to the High Court in favour of the victims and saw to it that justice was done to those people whose land was acquired by the Konkan Railway by paying proper compensation to them.

 

 

Spreading awareness among the farmers and agriculturists about the new techniques of agriculture, use of natural fertilizer, increasing fertility of the land and other aspects related to agriculture has been one of the missions of Srinivas Ballal. He has done research in increasing the productivity of the coconut trees. He has given a number of lectures on these issues as a resource person at various places such as Nandalike, Belman, Kalya, Shankarpura, Innanje, Uchila, Udyavara, Brahmavara and Moodubelle. Some of his lectures were arranged by Rotary and Lions Clubs of respective regions. He had been responsible for starting Agriculturists Associations in various villages such as Karamballi and Perampalli.

 

 

Srinivas Ballal has been rendering service in many associations and organisations. Since four years he has been the Vice President of the Udupi Zilla Krishika Sangha. He was instrumental in drafting and registering the constitution of the Krishika Sangha. Earlier, Srinivas Ballal was one of the members of the Udupi Zilla Bharathiya Kisan Sangha. He also had served as the Managing Trustee of Shri Vishnumurthi Temple of Mallampalli. He is the Vice President of Brahmana Sabha, Karamballi Zone. Presently, he is the President of the Udupi Zone High School Teachers’ Association which covers teachers in 46 high schools. As the president of the teachers’ association he has been in touch with the people’s representatives and even the guardian minister of the Udupi District, Dr. V.S. Acharya for the redressal of the grievances of the high school teachers.

 

 

For his service in various fields, Srinivas Ballal has won many laurels and was honoured and felicitated on many occasions at various places. Recently on the occasion of the conduct of the eight days Yoga camp at Karamballi, he was felicitated by Raghupati Bhat, the MLA from Udupi.

 

 

In spite of his many academic and social activities, Srinivas Ballal is a happy family man. He married Asha S Ballal in 1985. She is BSc degree holder and works for the Postal Department at Santhekatte in Kallianpur. The Ballals have two children-elder daughter, Deepthi M S is an engineer in Electronics and Communication. She is presently working for the Accenture Software Company at Bangalore. Deepthi has manifested her talents in various cultural fields such as plays, art, Bahratha natyam, music, etc.

 

 

Ballal’s son, Deepak Kumar, after completing PUC course with 96 per cent marks is presently studying for Mechanical Engineering at Nitte Engineering College. Like his elder sister, Deepak Kumar is also interested in plays, music, chess, etc.

 

Srinivas Ballal still has nearly five years of service left. In spite of his hectic life and travelling all the way from Perampalli to Moodubelle and back, Ballal Sir has been maintaining good health and enthusiasm to work. He says that the secret of his good health and vitality has been his own system of diet, performance of regular yoga, strict discipline and proper planning of activities. He hopes that even after retirement he would devote his time and energy for social work and fighting for justice in favour of the disadvantaged and marginalised sections of the society.

 

 

Speaking about Srinivas Ballal, Fr. Paul Sequeira, Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College said that Ballal Sir has been a sincere teacher who works without expecting any reward or monetary benefits. Highlighting the fine qualities of this dedicated teacher, Fr. Paul further said that Ballal Sir has great love and devotion to the institution. He is very friendly with the staff and the students. He has special concern for the sick and poor students. Through yoga, he has been trying to improve their health and concentration in studies. Being an agriculturist, Ballal Sir has a great love for nature and flora and fauna. He gives knowledge and motivation to the students to identify and grow medicinal plants. Though he had an opportunity to go on promotion as Kannada lecturer to Pompeii PU College at Aikala, Ballal Sir sacrificed this position so that he can continue his service till his retirement in this institution. Fr. Paul strongly feels that such a sincere, dedicated, talented and socially committed teacher deserves to be recognised by the Education Department and suitably rewarded.

 

On the occasion of the Teachers’ Day, Bellevision greatly appreciates the service of Ballal Sir in the field of education and as a social activist.