BELAGAVI: The funeral of minister Umesh Vishwanath Katti, 61, was held at his hometown, Bellad Bagewadi, in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi on Wednesday evening. The eight-time MLA had a heart attack late Tuesday night at his Dollars Colony residence in Bengaluru. He was immediately taken to nearby MS Ramaiah Hospital. Doctors pronounced him dead after an hour.
Thousands of people, among them political bigwigs like Union minister Shobha Karandlaje, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, opposition leader Siddaramaiah, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and several ministers, legislators and pontiffs came for the last rites.
Katti had held the portfolios of food, civil supply and consumer affairs, and forest. The funeral was conducted on the premises of Vishwanath Sugars Ltd in Bellad Bagewad according to Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions beside the tombs of the late minister’s father Vishwanath Katti and mother Rajeshwari.
The remains were supposed to arrive in Belagavi by air ambulance at 10am from Bengaluru. But bad weather delayed the flight by four hours. The body was airlifted by a special flight from HAL airport and there was a guard of honour at Belagavi airport. The body was out in a decorated vehicle of the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC- Belagavi). Before that, several leaders and pontiffs had a last darshan of the body at the airport.
The vehicle left towards Bellad Bagewadi at 3pm from Belagavi airport. Hundreds of vehicles along the route followed the army vehicle. In Hukkeri town, thousands of supporters had gathered on the streets, chanting Umesh Katti‘s name and throwing flowers at the cavalcade. His remains reached Bellad Bagewadi at 6pm.
People in Hukkeri and Sankeshwar towns observed an undeclared bandh after news of Katti’s death reached them. Belagavi DC Nitesh Patil declared a holiday in schools, colleges and government offices. Katti is survived by his wife Sheela, son Nikhil, daughter Sneha, brother and former MP Ramesh Katti and four grandsons.
Political journey
Katti, who was born into a rich family, became an MLA at 25. In his 36 years in politics, he remained MLA for 31. He contested nine assembly elections and won eight of them. He became a minister for the first time in 1985.
In the BS Yediyurappa cabinet, Katti held the portfolios of sugar, PWD, horticulture, prisons and agriculture. Being agriculture minister, Katti tabled the agriculture budget for the first time in the state.
Originally from the Janata Parivar, Katti changed parties six times in his career. He constantly expressed concerns about the lack of development in North Karnataka. Recently, he emerged a prime Lingayat leader in Belagavi district.
Heart disease: Family history
Katti often joked about his death. He would say that he would die of heart attack one day. The reason was that heart diseases were dominant in the Katti clan.
His father, Vishwanath Katti, died of a heart attack while taking oath as an MLA in Vidhana Soudha in 1985. Even his grandfather and son Rahul died of heart attacks.
Thousands of people, among them political bigwigs like Union minister Shobha Karandlaje, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, opposition leader Siddaramaiah, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and several ministers, legislators and pontiffs came for the last rites.
Katti had held the portfolios of food, civil supply and consumer affairs, and forest. The funeral was conducted on the premises of Vishwanath Sugars Ltd in Bellad Bagewad according to Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions beside the tombs of the late minister’s father Vishwanath Katti and mother Rajeshwari.
The remains were supposed to arrive in Belagavi by air ambulance at 10am from Bengaluru. But bad weather delayed the flight by four hours. The body was airlifted by a special flight from HAL airport and there was a guard of honour at Belagavi airport. The body was out in a decorated vehicle of the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC- Belagavi). Before that, several leaders and pontiffs had a last darshan of the body at the airport.
The vehicle left towards Bellad Bagewadi at 3pm from Belagavi airport. Hundreds of vehicles along the route followed the army vehicle. In Hukkeri town, thousands of supporters had gathered on the streets, chanting Umesh Katti‘s name and throwing flowers at the cavalcade. His remains reached Bellad Bagewadi at 6pm.
People in Hukkeri and Sankeshwar towns observed an undeclared bandh after news of Katti’s death reached them. Belagavi DC Nitesh Patil declared a holiday in schools, colleges and government offices. Katti is survived by his wife Sheela, son Nikhil, daughter Sneha, brother and former MP Ramesh Katti and four grandsons.
Political journey
Katti, who was born into a rich family, became an MLA at 25. In his 36 years in politics, he remained MLA for 31. He contested nine assembly elections and won eight of them. He became a minister for the first time in 1985.
In the BS Yediyurappa cabinet, Katti held the portfolios of sugar, PWD, horticulture, prisons and agriculture. Being agriculture minister, Katti tabled the agriculture budget for the first time in the state.
Originally from the Janata Parivar, Katti changed parties six times in his career. He constantly expressed concerns about the lack of development in North Karnataka. Recently, he emerged a prime Lingayat leader in Belagavi district.
Heart disease: Family history
Katti often joked about his death. He would say that he would die of heart attack one day. The reason was that heart diseases were dominant in the Katti clan.
His father, Vishwanath Katti, died of a heart attack while taking oath as an MLA in Vidhana Soudha in 1985. Even his grandfather and son Rahul died of heart attacks.