Harapanahalli Raghavendra was born in Bellary on 2nd of July 1950 as only son to the noble parents late Sri H.Ramamurthy & Smt. Sunandamma. He had his primary education in Silver Jubilee Primary School in Bellary, completed his high school education by joining Wardlaw High School where his father was working as Drawing Master. He was blessed enough to get basic skills in drawing and painting under his fathers tutelage as a drawing master along with other students.
“Truth, purity and unselfishness-wherever these are present, there is no power below or above the sun to crush the possessor thereof” the essence of these words of Swami Vivekananda as a basic qualities was inculcated in him by his beloved respected teacher namely Sri. Jaya Christa Kumar. His teachings and his exemplary qualities made Raghavendra to have good character.
Another great person Sri. J.D. Chitrashekar, a Biology teacher who not only inspired him, but he put the seed of Biology in Raghavendra which in later years grew as a tree and spread the essence of teaching Biology among his students community. He is grateful to these three great personalities who moulded him as a good teacher, good science teacher and as amateur artist.
He took his graduation in Science from Veerasaiva College, Bellary and B.Ed., Course from Kottur Swami College of Education, Bellary. Late Sri. Gangappa the Principal, of the college, asked Raghavendra to design an emblem for the college by recognizing his talents. All other lecturers appreciated his talents and encouraged him to take part in different activities.
He joined his Almamartar Wardlaw High School, Bellary as Secondary Grade Assistance in 1976. He got promoted as Graduate Science Assistant in 1988 and served this Institute with full commitment.
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value" let these words of Albert Einstein happens to be his watch words. In addition to his class room teaching he encouraged his students to take part in co-curricular activities. He prepared science models to his students who participated in science exhibition at district as well as state and South India level.
During his service he had conducted many quiz competitions for the students at district as well as at divisional levels. He also conducted science quiz for high school students as per instructions given by department of education (DDPI, Bellary) for the period of seven years or so. The most of the students had admired his talent of conducting quiz. During his service he prepared the beautiful tableau on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava on behalf of the education department through his college for two years and got second prize for one year.
Mr.Raghavendra retired from his service after completing 33 years of yeoman service with full regard and respect to his almamarter and gained a lot of love and affection from the staff and students.
"Our deeds determine us as we determine our deeds" true to these words of G.Eliot, in recognition of his outstanding zeal and high quality of service rendered by him during the 1991 Census of India, the President of India had been pleased to confer upon him the 1991 Census Silver Medal.
After his retirement, he started to paint in various media like water colour, oil colour, acrylic, pencil work, glass painting on different subjects. Even after his retirement, he took science classes at Sri Nanda Residential School, Bellary to meet the expenses of framing his paintings and also to continue his zeal of teaching science to the students.
He conducted his first solo painting exhibition at Wardlaw PU College on 17th & 18th of Nov. 2012 which enabled citizens of Bellary to see paintings of different categories and enjoyed it very much. That exhibition was dedicated to his father late Sri.H.Ramamurthy.
He was proud enough to mention that he painted the figure of Sri Rajarajeswari painting for Shobhayathra on the occasion first Kannada Rajyotsava in 1973, when the erstwhile Mysore province was renamed as Karnataka. He also got first prize at district level art exhibition conducted by old boys association of Municipal School in 1996.
Mr.Raghavendra was awarded District level Best Science Teacher award from DDPI, Bellary.
He is blessed enough to paint Swami Vivekananda in oil paint, for Shobha Yatra on 12th January 2013, on the occasion 150th Birth Anniversary of Swamiji. He participated in “Belugu” programme of Chandana channel where he gave his opinion that science and skill of drawing are inter-related in the processes of teaching as well as in painting mutually. Some of his paintings are testimony to his esoteric knowledge in philosophy and his academic life.
