Mangaluru: Entrepreneur Ganesh Kamath may have lost both his hands in a mishap, but that never deterred him from taking up challenges and excelling at them. He has now been chosen for the third Mangaluru Press Club Award 2017.

A committee, led by Hampi Kannada University former Vice Chancellor Prof B A Viveka Rai, well-known theatre director Sadananda Suvarna and School of Social Work Roshni Nilata and retired professor and social activist Rita Noronha, selected Kamath for the award. The award will be presented at the Mangaluru Press Club Day celebrations to be held at Urwa Church Hall in Ladyhill on January 6, 2018. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,001, a citation and memento.

Kamath, 41, was born in a poor family and could complete studies only till the seventh standard. At the age of 12 years, he joined a firm which used to rent out equipment for public programmes. One day while making arrangements for a flood-lit programme at Karkala in 2001, he came in contact with a live wire. Though he survived the mishap, he lost both his hands at the age of 25.

The mishap changed Kamath’s life. Despite his best efforts, he could not get a job. He then thought of purchasing a music system and renting it out for marriages and other public programmes.

For every programme, he would charge a fee of Rs 350 for renting out his music system. In the last 16 years, his small business began to pick up and he was able to earn profits. G K (which stands for Ganesh Kamath) Decorators has now become a household name in and around Moodbidri.

In fact, he has succeeded in managing huge conventions like Navodaya, Vishwa Konkani Sammelan in Padubidri, Vishwa Tuluvere Parbo in Adyar, Mahamastakabisheka in Karkala to the recently concluded Dharma Samsad in Udupi.

Right from renting out only music systems way back in 2001 to renting out almost every equipment, be it pandal, music system, sound system, seating arrangements, lighting and catering, the G K team manages it all with great success.

He has also employed 45 persons who cater to all the requirements for any programme.