Teacher Emeritus Anutai Kittur passes away

Anuradha Yeshwant Kittur, known to all as Anutai aged 99 passed away today morning due to old age.

Anutai, was born as Anusuya Nagesh Gunaji. Born in a very well to do family of the then Chief Officer of Belgaum Municipality, Mr. N. M. Gunaji, Anutai Kittur was one of the five children to her parents and had a fun filled childhood. She and her siblings grew up in fine upbringing, with a touch of religiousness, with recitation of verses from the Bhagvad Gita and other religious texts. Her range of hobbies included music, cycling, swimming, hockey, badminton, table tennis and hututu.

Her schooling happened in Chintamanrao High School in the Shahapur, after which she joined Lingraj College for her B.A. Degree. Her already gleaming eyes brighten up when she recollects her encounters with her male counterparts, during her college years.

In an era when love marriages were unheard of, Anutai married Dr. Yeshwant in 1940 and although Anusuya N. Gunaji became Anuradha Yeshwant Kittur, she remained Anu to her elders and Anutai to her youngsters.

She pursued her academics and social goals. She completed her B.A. Degree in 1941 and became a teacher in St.Paul’s High School Camp and started off as a class teacher for Std. VII and taught Marathi and Sanskrit. She there after secured her M.A. and B.Ed Degrees. As a teacher, she was full of compassion for the boys

She served St.Paul’s School for 32years and drew pension for more than that and spent all her earnings for social causes. It was Anutai Kittur who setup the first ‘Working Womens Hostel’ in Belagavi and was also actively involved with many institutions such as the Theosophical Society of India, various Womens groups and Mahila Vidyalaya.

She must be the second lady after the Queen of Kurndwad to drive a car in Belgaum then. Many of her times could recollect how she drove the car with one hand on the steering and one hand on the window.

RIP the Teacher Emeritus…..