'Pond man' Kamegowda, who earned praise of PM for water conservation, dies

Kalmane Kamegowda, the octogenarian shepherd who had earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for engaging in water conservation works, has passed away.

Kamegowda, 82, died due to age-related ailments in Karnataka's Mandya, PTI reported.

Popularly known as "Pond Man" and "water warrior, Kamegowda was credited with developing 16 lakes on a barren hillock at his village in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district.


Over the years these ponds caught water during the monsoons, and now there is water in them even during peak summers.

He also planted saplings by the side of the ponds he dug - bearing the expenses for all these from his own savings.

There was a reason why Kamegowda started ponds: he used to take his sheep to a nearby hill for grazing and couldn't find water there for them.

The work of this shepherd from Dasanadoddi was highlighted by PM Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' monthly radio address in 2020.

Expressing grief over Kamegowda's death, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called him a "water sage" and "modern Bhagirath".

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and state Congress President D K Shivakumar among others have expressed grief over the death of Kamegowda