New Delhi: Philanthropist Dr D. Veerendra Heggade on Thursday took oath as a Rajya Sabha Member. He was nominated to the Upper House by the government on July 6 along with music composer Ilaiyaraaja, athlete P.T. Usha and film director K.V. Vijayendra Prasad. Heggade has served as the Dharmadhikari of the Dharmasthala Temple in Karnataka since the tender age of 20.
He has been a devoted philanthropist for more than five decades. He has led various transformative initiatives for rural development and the promotion of self-employment. He established the Rural Development and Self-Employment Training Institute (RDSETI) to provide awareness about self-employment opportunities and train rural youth.