Mangaluru : The foundation stone for the building of Brahmasri Narayana Guru Adhyayana Peetha in Mangalore University will be laid in Mangalagangothri campus on Ramanujan 12, Sunday, MU Vice Chancellor Prof P S Yadapadithaya said on January 10, Friday.

Narayana Guru Study Chair was set up in 2017 to popularise the ideals and philosophy of saint-reformer Narayana Guru, he told mediaperons at University College on Friday.

The chair’s other objectives are to sensitise the youth about the social and spiritual issues related to Indian society, raised by Narayana Guru, in order to bring about social harmony and peaceful co-existence.

He said the study chair had been organising lecture series on Narayana Guru since 2017. On the recommendations of the Adhyayana Peetha advisory committee, it was decided to construct a theme park-based building for the study chair.

The proposed building will have a seminar hall, meditation hall, library, museum, research wing, hall and an office. Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad has released Rs 50 lakh for the building. The estimated cost of the whole project is Rs 3.50 cr.

Out of Rs 50 lakh, it was decided to construct an administrative office, visitors room, library, director’s room, meditation hall and a toilet in the ground floor. The entire project will be completed when the government releases the remaining funds.

District In-Charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary has promised additional grant. Donors also will be contacted.

The building has a plinth area of 1,457.80 square metres. A statue of Brahmasri Narayana Guru will be installed right in the middle of the building. The first floor of the building will have a library, four classrooms, two staff rooms and a toilet.

Yadapadithaya said that Srinivas Poojary would lay the foundation stone. Shivagiri Mutt representative Balyottu Vikhyathananda Swami will grace the occasion.

There are 19 study chairs in Mangalore University and a complex to house all the study chairs will be constructed in and around Brahmasri Narayana Guru Adhyayana Peetha.

“Mangalore University has sought Rs 2 crore for each study chair. A few of the study chairs have a grant of Rs 5 lakh, making it difficult to conduct any programmes. Dr P Dayanada Pai and Sri P Sathisha Pai Yakshagana Adhyayana Kendra was initiated with a grant of Rs 1 crore from P Dayananda Pai. Now, the University has sought additional Rs 2 crore from Minister for Kannada and Culture C T Ravi to conduct more activities,’’ the vice chancellor said.