Dedication to Dr. Ganesh Ganapati Shastri
In loving memory of my Late Father Dr. Ganesh Ganapati Shastri.
How it all started ?
On 12-11-1947, Dr. Ganesh Ganapati Shastri was born in one of the most remote villages of Uttara Kannada, named Urkeri in Kumta Taluk. Having been born in a Below Poverty line family, he started to cook at the age of 6 years. Having lost his mother at the age of 6 years, and father at the age of 16 years, Dr. Shastri came a long way in his purposeful life. His father was a school teacher who lived far and away from the Urkeri Home.
The home had about 4-5 utensils made of aluminium with no grocery for most of the year. He lived on the offerings of the near by Swayambhu Vinayaka Temple. When it came to studies he was a topper despite abject poverty, and as fate would have it, he lost his father at the age of 16 to cancer. Throughout his childhood he had to take care of his younger sister as well.
Dr. Shastri did not have ¼ Anna to write his matriculation exam! He has begged the entire village and collected 1 Rupee 10 paisa and was short of another 49 paisa to write his exams. Later, his class teacher paid him 1 rupee to complete the hall ticket formalities. With grit and determination, he came out with flying colours. Poverty did not dissuade him from believing only quality education and hard work shall make him successful.
Why be a Lawyer ?
Dr. Shastri passed his 12th standard examination with a distinction. Once he was passing the Kumta bus stand a post man banged his bicycle to him. He was hurt on his ribs. The postman yelled his lungs out to that, couldn’t he see such a high profile government servant ?
He even called Dr.Shatsri a fit for nothing person. That very moment Dr. Shastri decided to become a Lawyer and prove his merit. He completed his B.Sc.(Hons) and later his LL.B program from R.L. Law college Belgaum.
He was enrolled as an Advocate with the Mysore State with Reg. No. MYS 98/1971. One of the Early birds from nothing to wearing the coveted Black Coat and Gown with the white bands was quite a journey. He started to practice before the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka and has acclaimed enough name and fame in Civil and Service Law. After having started practice as an Advocate there was no turning back.
Altogether thousands of cases were handled by Dr. Ganesh Ganapati Shastri and hundreds of clients were touched upon during his long tenure of practice. He had completed 49 years of service and was extremely lively and enthusiastic to continue to practice. He was an Honorary Doctorate in Spiritual Healing.
Most of the old Bengalureans near Malleswaram and surrounding named him as “Gurudev” due to his spiritual bent of mind and helping the downtrodden with his spiritual healing. He was an ardent devotee of Sadguru Shirdi Sai Baba and Sadguru Sadanand Maharaj ji. He followed Shraddha and Saburi to its truest sense in his cherished career of Advocacy.
Unfortunately, due to a cardiac arrest Dr. Ganesh Ganapati Shastri breathed his last on 22-10-2019 at 01:35 a.m. In his loving memory I dedicate my life to his principles and professionalism, without stepping into his shoes yet to emulate him profoundly.