DASANADODDI, India (AP) – Kalmane Kamegowda, a 72-year-old shepherd living in an indescribable village in southern India, has become a celebrity, earning national recognition from no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kamegowda, who has never attended school, says he has spent at least $ 14,000 on his and his son’s earnings, mainly by selling sheep he has cared for over the years to dig a chain of 16 ponds on a picturesque hill near his village, 120 km) west of Bengaluru, Silicon Valley in India.
The ponds, built over four decades, are meant to address the problem of water scarcity. Kamegowda – known as the “Pond Man” – says it has a “scientific” nature, with water flowing down a slope, allowing ponds to avoid drying out even in the hot summer months. Birds and wildlife, such as bears, leopards, deer and foxes, use ponds to quench their thirst.
Kamegowda, who wears neat black hair and a gray beard, was once dismissed as insane by other villagers. He was ridiculed because he claimed to have learned from his father, also a shepherd, the art of identifying soil moisture and using it to create bodies of water.
He relied mainly on shovels, spades and drops to create the bodies of water and rented excavators when he allowed himself to structure the ponds.
The state government of Karnataka praised his work two years ago with a prestigious award. But national recognition came earlier this year, when Modi praised his work on his popular radio show, calling Kamegowda an “ordinary farmer” with “an extraordinary personality.”
“He has accomplished a personal feat that will amaze anyone,” the prime minister said, adding that Kamegowda “dug 16 ponds through his hard work and sweat on his forehead.”
“The ponds he built may not be very big, but then his efforts are huge,” Modi said. “Today, the whole area has a new life because of these ponds.”
Social groups are now urging Modi to honor Kamegowda with a national award.
Kamegowda is happy to show reporters around, walking on a bandaged leg due to an ulcer wound that has not healed for months. This restricts his regular visits to his ponds.
Four years ago, he saved some money for his daughter-in-law, who was expected to give birth by cesarean section, but she normally gave birth to a baby boy, leaving him with some money in his hand.
“I spent the same money digging another pond and named it Krishna – after my nephew,” he said.
Kamegowda, who has dozens of sheep, lives in an unfinished two-room warehouse near his son’s house and enjoys spending time with his family. Keep all documents and newspaper clippings that reflect his achievements.
He has a second nickname – “Vanapalaka”, or forest ranger, earned by planting his trees in an area near the ponds designated by officials as a park.
“Most of the villagers are proud of me, but those who are jealous are trying hard to malign my image,” he said. “I urge people not to pollute the ponds by washing clothes and to restrict the use of water only to their animals.”
“It’s nice to see the villagers bring their animals to these ponds to drink water, but it hurts when some people try to slander me,” he said.
He was referring to a number of villagers who, apparently jealous of the recognition he had received, filed a petition with the local administrator, complaining that Kamegowda was treating the area of the pond as his personal property, even though it was government land.
However, the local administrator, Deputy Commissioner MV Venkatesh, said he had visited the village and found that “there is a misperception” about Kamegowda’s work. “His work is authentic,” he said.
This year, the Karnataka state government has allocated 5 million rupees ($ 67,500) for the further development of river basins in the area.
Venkatesh noted that every rainy season, tanks built by Kamegowda fill with water and serve as reservoirs for birds and other forest animals during the summer.
“He is a very dedicated man, a very altruistic servant for the protection of the environment and ecology. In fact, he is a role model for other people in river basin development, ”said Venkatesh. “He does a very good job.”
___
“One Good Thing” is a series that highlights individuals whose actions give sparkles of joy in difficult times – stories about people who find a way to make a difference, no matter how small. Read the story collection at https://apnews.com/hub/one-good-thing