Sri Vinay Kulkarni comes from very illustrious legacy of the political family of stalwart political leaders. He is the great grandson of Sri Karaveerappa who was a practicing advocate during the time of British rule in India. He was the first person from Karnataka State to have travelled across the sea by ship in those days to supreme court which was situated then at London. He is supposed to have pleaded against the implementation of Doctrine of Lapses policy in India during the British rule.
Sri Karaveerappa with his great legacy of generosity & philanthropic nature has donated 76 acres of land for the Murugha Math of Dharwad. Murugha Math is a revered place which imparts spirituality besides providing free boarding and hostel facilities to thousands of needy students since many years.
Sri Vinay Kulkarni is also the great grandson of late Sir Siddappa Kambli, the member of the erstwhile Bombay Legislative council and was elected as its deputy president. He had served as minister of agriculture and education. He had played a vital role in the Unification of Karnataka. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Karnatak University in Dharwad.
Late Sri M.K. Kulkarni who was four times MLA from Navalgund Constituency is the maternal grandfather of Sri Vinay Kulkarni. Sri Rajashekarappa Kulkarni, father of Sri Vinay Kulkarni hails from joint family.He was successful progressive farmer. He owned four hundred acres of joint agricultural land holdings. It is known fact that, all the disputes of farmers & villagers, be it domestic or professional of Navalgund village used to get solved in his presence, without approaching the law courts or Police intervention. Such was the practice in those good olden days. Which is a testimony to show that, his words were so solacing, final and valued with utmost respect, in imparting justice to the people of Nayakanur surrounding villages. He was maintaining 32 Desi Cows in those days. Sri Vinay Kulkarni fascinated by the family’s history, legacy and inherent enthusiasm to imbibe, followed the footsteps of his father and he decided to join BSc Agriculture.
Having had the great privilege of inherent rich political legacy and able leadership background, and being the great grandson and grandson of such value based political luminaries; Sri Vinay Kulkarni went on showing his great organising skills as a young dynamic leader during his student days as a BSc agri Student.
When he joined University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad he realised that, students were not at ease and there was lot of student unrest with regard to inadequate facilities for them. He thought of giving them the voice to their confronting problems. Usually a student representative is made as president during the third year but, his fight for the students welfare issues motivated him to be in the forefront. The inherited leadership traits are to be seen during his very young days itself.
He was chosen as president of students union in the first year itself. Which was a turning point in his life, a young leader was thus born in that context. Then onwards he never turned back.
Sri Vinay Kulkarni right from his student days, he has exhibited enormous courage. He is highly persistent in completing any difficult task with proper planning, sincere effort, courage and perseverance.
Sri.Vinay Kulkarni never had dreamt of becoming a politician. Though he had the innate leadership qualities by birth, but the destiny was pre-decided for him to shape him as a charismatic, iconic youth leader. His active participation, organizing skills helped him to emerge as a impressive youth mobilising leader along with his committed friends circle. Many senior politicians also went on noticing in him the great potentiality of a future leader. As he had the magnetic personality of a charismatic youth leader.
His active involvement and interaction with public and farmers prompted him to start his own dairy farming initially with 6 cows as Vinay Dairy. Today it has the reputation of being the largest private dairy which is fully auto mechanised dairy with 1700 high yielding cows of both desi & abroad variety. It is a dream come true. His basic interest being in the welfare of farmers in the agricultural sector made him serve the cause of the poor farmers relentlessly.
Sri Jade Shantlingeshwar Trust was founded by him and many welfare programmes were undertaken such as: Health Camps, Blood donation Camps, Recharging of Wells, Ponds, Building of Check Dams, which was done in consultation and following the guidelines of Sri Rajendra Singh who is a well known water conservationist from Alwar district Rajastan in India. He is known as Water Man in India. He has won the Stockholm Water Prize in 2015, an award known as the Noble Prize for Water.
Providing facilities to government schools, such as teachers, books, seating facilities in villages like Hunasikumbri, Hiremalligawad, Yadwad, Dapardhiwad etc. Organising Mega Mass Marriages on a grant scale ranging from 100 to 1000. In collaboration with World vision construction of toilets, public toilets was done. Distribution of agricultural equipments, crop insurance, exemption of farmers loan, establishment of Fodder bank and Goshalas were also undertaken by him.
He made his breakthrough from the root level of Vice Presidentship of Zilla Parishad and as a President of agriculture and industries standing committee Zilla Panchayat of Dharwad. Which gained him people’s appreciation and on 26-4-2004 he was elected as Independent MLA from Dharwad rural constituency. This is the reward for his selfless service for the cause of public in general and farmers in particular.
Being in the family of staunch congress leaders, he was deeply impressed by the welfare principles of congress party and joined the congress party with the intention of developing rural sector and decided to dedicate his service for the sake of rural folk.
- Served the constituency sincerely.
- With co operation of the farmers I was successful in bringing all the schemes from the Centre and State Govt for the development of the constituency.
- My special attention was to give life to all the people in my constituency.
- Special emphasis was given for the construction of roads, widening of roads, drinking water facility, providing adequate water facilities for Agriculture.
- Distribution of seeds, fertilizers to the farmers on time, distribution of Agricultural implements including tractor and trailers was also performed.
- Construction of Community Toilets ( Samudaya Sauchalaya ) at Bus stand, School, Community Hall etc. was undertaken on Priority
- My special achievement was housing for the rural poor.
- Special sanitation facilities were introduced in the villages.
- More emphasis was also given in the field of rural women and children development.
- The involvement as President in many Agricultural related Co operative Societies made me to extend service for the upliftment of rural poor by providing maximum facilities to them.
- My experience as ‘President of Youth Congress of Dharwad District’ was a break through in my life. This gave me an opportunity to interact with all the farmers and to visit all villages of Dharwad district. The political strength nurtured all the support to carry out my mission of rural development and economic stabilization of rural folk in a large way
- My success in Zilla Panchayat election made me President of Agriculture and Industries Standing Committee and subsequently “ Vice President” of Zilla Panchayat. This was as another break through which boosted my political life. My ambition of rural development took a great momentum during this period and led to my further political development.
- My motto is “Rural Development and farmers Welfare”. I could implement it successfully with the help of my friends and farmers of my constituency.
- My social work started from my childhood but geared up after my entry in to politics.
- We regularly arrange Health Programs including Free health Camps, Free eye camps, free vaccination for rural children.
- Blood donation camps are being arranged regularly.
- To create Health awareness among rural youth we regularly organise Body building Competitions.
- Mass marriage is the most important event, we organise it every year. People from all the community participate in this. This is the great tool to combat ‘Dowry System”
- I encourage all the religious activities by actively involving with people of all caste and creed to create ‘Communal harmony and brotherhood with secular principle.
- We have taken up lot of programmes to protect environmental/ conservation.
- Celebration of Jayanthotsvam of all religious and political leaders is done.
- Though being an Ex-MLA, I even today I fight for the well establishment of farmers status by involving myself in helping them to secure their Crop Insurance, availability of drinking water, fight towards exemption of all kinds of farmer loans, performing precautionary steps during drought, establishment of goshaala, establishment of fodder bank, Ganji Kendra, performing Paadayatra to the office of DC, Dharwad along with the farmers listening to their problems.
- Rural service activities under my leadership as a social worker is very well recognised in collaboration with
- The Govt of Karnataka.
- Sreekshetra Dharmasthala.
- Siddaganga Matha, Tumkur.
- Balehonnur Matha
- Murugamatha, Chitradurga.
- Akhila Bharatha Veerashiva Mahasabha.
- Sree Ramkrishna Matha.
AS A MINISTER
He is inducted into the cabinet of Govt of Karnataka as State Minister for Mines and Geology. Looking at his successful performance as a minister he was elevated to the status of cabinet rank minister in Sri Siddharamaiah’s cabinet. Which speaks of his committment to the public, farmers and constituency’s developmental work. He is the district in charge Minister of Hubli-Dharwad.
With his highly unassuming nature and friendly, down to earth attitude he is popularily known as Namma Janapriya Mantri Vinay Anna among all the public. Being such a committed people’s representative, he is more of People’s Man.
Vaishudeep Foundation a NGO is the brainchild of Sri. Vinay Kulkarni and his wife Smt. Shivaleela Kulkarni. The name of this NGO indicates the combination of his two daughters names. It is catering to the needs of people with a well defined vision and mission to inspire, educate, and mobilize to improve education in government schools, community health in villages, Agriculture, Animal husbandry and to promote sustainable development by adopting core values of humanism professionalism with commitment. The basic vision is: ‘Vision leads to Victory.’ Further the mission is education in government schools. Nearly 28000 to 33000 students have been benefited. 30 health camps are organised for villagers. Mega Udyog Mela for the village unemployed youths are organised. By which 49000 to 75000 job seekers are benefitted. In Mini Udyog Mela nearly 660 to 881 job seekers have been the beneficiaries.
Today the foundation which came into existence in 2013 has taken up big stride has gone on to create a huge success by imparting service in all the sectors leading to meaningful life skills and opportunities. Under the able leadership of empowered selfless service of Mrs. Shivaleela Kulkarni, the secretary of Vaishudeep foundation. Sri Vinay Kulkarni is the President and Managing trustee of this foundation.
The activities of the Vaishudeep foundation have become talk of the town and are appreciated by general public, stakeholders, farmers, women self help groups, students, academicians, parents and younger generation of Hubli-Dharwad city within a short span of just five years. Vaishudeep foundation believes to achieve more and more success by imparting greater service to the needy people with the co-operation of its stakeholders.