Vaman Srinivas Kudva

Vaman Srinivas Kudva popularly alled as V.S.Kudva, was a founder director of Syndicate Bank. He was born on 9th June 1899 in Mulky,Karnataka. Srinivas Ramachandra kudva owned a small hand loom unit. He had his primary education in Mulky and highschool in Udupi. After completing Intermediate exam from Govt college, mangalore he went to join Machanical Engineering in Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Bombay.

Career
From 1922-26 Kudva has started an engineering workshop. In 1926 he went to Mangalore and joined CPC Co. Ltd (Canara Public Conveyance Co.Ltd) as Manager. In 1938, he was elected as Managing Director of the company and continued in that position till 1966. During his regime The CPC CO Ltd progressed and earned a great name in the country. To provide employment he setup many Organisations like – The Canara Sales Corporation Ltd (1938), The Canara Motor and Genaral Insurance Co.Ltd (1941), The canara workshops Ltd (1943), The Canara Tyre and Rubber Works Ltd (1947) Canara Springs (1950), Canara Steel Ltd(1963). Bonus, gratuity, pension benefits were given to employees in his companies even before it became mandatory by law. Kudva was interested in journalism. He edited the Kannada Weekly “Satyagrahi”(1922) and editor of Kannada Weekly “swadeshabhimani”(1923 -34). In 1941 he started The News paper Publishers Pvt Ltd and published Kannada daily newspaper “Navabharath”. With T.M.A.Pai and Upendra Ananth Pai of Manipal,Kudva was one of the founder directors of the Syndicate Bank. In 1948 he was elected as President of Canara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, South canara and continued foe next 3 years. Along with U.Srinivas Mallya, he was instrumental in bringing airport to Mangalore and Karnataka Regional Engineering College at Suratkal. He started the Canara Foreign Student Loan Scholarship for students going abroad for higher technical education. He was responsible for starting the Rotary club in Mangalore.
Honours
Kudva was fondly known as a “Karmayogi” and people of Dakshina kannadada still remember him. Two books titled V S Kudva – His Lifes and Times (2014) both in English and Kannada authored by M.Vasant Mallya was published by The Canara Foundation, Mangalore.