Veerendra Heggade

Veerendra Heggade is an Indian philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Temple in Karnataka, a position he has held since 1968. In July 2022, he was nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. Beyond his religious and political roles, he is a prominent social reformer known for managing extensive educational and rural development projects, including the SDM Educational Society and the Dharmasthala Rural Development Project. He has received numerous honors for his contributions to social work, including the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award.