Mangalore : Ammembal Balappa(95) veteran freedom fighter breathed his last on May 15, Thursday.

He, born in Devasya of Ammembala area of Bantwal Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district to a Moolya(potter’s) family on February 23, 1922.

His father Thaniya Moolya died in childhood, his mother shifted to another village along with her children including Balappa.

Then he shifted to Mangalore to his uncle’s home. Balappa was joined to work as a helper in a British officer, who was in-charge of administrative affairs in Mangalore.

He played a key role in drafting the declaration of land policy (Land Reforms Act) by the Devraj Urs government.

Balappa was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi when he launched the Quit India Movement. Veteran freedom fighter and Congress worker Karnad Sadashiva Rao, Ammembal Balappa and others had assembled in the Nehru Maidan. Balappa shouted slogans against the British. He managed to escape the police, many others were arrested. But later Balappa was jailed by the British for participating in the 1942 Quit India Movement.

He was instrumental in launching the first Tulu newspaper Tulu Siri and also a Kannada paper named Mithra. Among other things he was a council member of Mangalore University and was the founder of Samaja Seva Sahakari Bank of Bantwal.