D. Veerendra Heggade is an Indian philanthropist and the hereditary administrator of the Dharmasthala Temple. He succeeded to the post at the age of 19, on October 24, 1968, the 21st in his line. He administers the temple and its properties, which are held in trust for the benefit of devotees and of Dharma. He is a nominated Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since July 2022.
Dr. D Veerendra Heggade at SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad
The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Vibhushan Award to Dr. Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on April 08, 2015
Dharmasthala Temple is an 800-year-old Hindu religious institution in the temple town of Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India. The deities of the temple are Hindu god Shiva, who is referred to as MaƱjunatha, Hindu goddess Ammanavaru, the Tirthankara Chandraprabha and the protective gods of Jainism, Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumarasvami and Kanyakumari. The temple was reconsecrated in 16th century by Hindu Dvaita saint Vadiraja Tirtha by the request of the then administrator of the temple, Devaraja Heggade. The temple is considered unique, since the priests in the temple are Madhwa Brahmins, who are Vaishnava, and the administration is run by a Jain Bunt family called the Pergades.
The entrance of Dharmasthala Manjunatha Temple
Chandranatha basadi in Dharmasthala
Bhagavan Baahubali statute,Dharmasthala
Gateway of Dharmasthala