Nestled amidst swaying coconut trees, the Kodi Village is being transformed into an Educational Village by the dynamic Bearys Group.
The Kodi village and its small hamlet on the West Coast is no longer an isolated place for its inhabitants. The village facing the shores of roaring water waves of the Arabian Sea has a large Muslim community, fisheries being the main occupation of the people of this village for ages, it has about 60 per cent literate population.
About 65 years ago, a visionary teacher, late Haji K. Mohidin Beary started a school in a thatched roof shed to teach the young and prevent them from going astray. After 65 years, a sprawling educational complex stands testimony to the flame of education lit by him.
The Haji K. Mohidin Beary Education Trust (HKMBE) started by his six sons continues to nurture the dreams of their father. In a span of just 11 years, six institutions have been established, this include Kannada medium, English medium primary and high school, a Junior college and a state- of- the art computer training center. The teachers training college under the banner ‘Bearys Foundation for Teachers Training’ both for Kannada and English medium has started functioning. It is yet another feather in the cap of this village which is striving to become a model educational village in the coming years. Syed Mohd. Beary who is a managing trustee of the HKMBET says, “We aim to develop ‘Bearys Foundation for Teachers Training’ in order to produce not just teachers, but good teachers, good teachers have always been in great demand”.
Syed Beary, a noted builder known for having built landmarks and one of the pioneers of contemporary architecture of Bangalore has big dreams to develop the hamlet of Kodi into an ‘Educational Village’. The village of Kodi is around 10 kms from the nearest Kundapur town. Students come to this institution from Kundapur town and surrounding villages.
The campus ambience provides a truly secular atmosphere. The school starts with a prayer, ‘Ay Malik Tere Bande Hum’. The school houses clubs such as Abdul Kalam Science Club to develop scientific temper, Priyadarshini Nature Club to develop concern for environment, Swamy Vivekananda Personality Development Club to nourish and develop talents among the student community.
The Bearys Junior College started functioning since June 2004. The staff has been carefully chosen to give the best to the students with the ocean of knowledge. The furniture is custom designed exclusively for the college. Dr. Prabhakar Shetty, a Ph.D in Botany, with a vast teaching and administration experience has been given the task to accomplish the dream to touch the bastions of quality education. Under guidance from Dr. Shetty, a master plan was executed for planting of saplings all along the four km stretch of coastal route facing Arabian Sea leading to the campus. The institution has a fleet of seven mini buses to ferry the students from surrounding villages and from Kundapur town.
This institution attracts several participants in its annual event ‘Look Beyond’ from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The aim of this interactive event is exclusively meant for the elementary school teaching community. Eminent scholars and subject experts are invited to handle the two-day event.
The recent inauguration of the new college building was a memorable event. Three prominent persons of three different faiths inaugurated the building. The new college building has been designed by ‘Architecture Paradigm’ a reputed architectural firm of Bangalore. The building has been designed retaining the coconut trees. Syed Beary was working on how to save the trees from being chopped. Ultimately he succeeded in his effort and the vast structure took firm root without a single tree being chopped. So far, ground floor and first floor has been constructed, the second and the third floor construction will be carried out in a phased manner.
Haji Master Mahmood the eldest son of late Haji K. Mohidin Beary manages all affairs of the institution despite his old age, at Kodi village. The determination of the Bearys Group and the people of Kodi village has put these institutions on par with the best institutions in the country. The farsighted vision of Syed Beary has already changed the life and face of the village and its people.
 |
January 2005 |