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{{short description|Indian businessman and philanthropist (1928–2020) }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = R. N. Shetty
| image = R. N. Shetty.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Rama Nagappa Shetty
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|08|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Murudeshwar]], [[North Canara]], [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|12|17|1928|8|15|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], India
| education =
| occupation = [[Entrepreneur]]
| children = 7
| spouse = Sudha Shetty
| relations =
| website = https://rnshetty.com/
}}
'''Rama Nagappa Shetty''' (15 August 1928{{spnd}}17 December 2020) was an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio">{{cite news|last=Aiyappa|first=Manu|date=16 August 2010|title=Public Space Private Life Rama Nagappa Shetty|work=[[Times of India]]|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Public-Space-Private-Life/articleshow/6316470.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019021317/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Public-Space-Private-Life/articleshow/6316470.cms|url-status=live|access-date=7 September 2010|archive-date=19 October 2016}}</ref> He was the owner of R N Shetty Group of companies, including RNS Infrastructure, RNS Maruti Suzuki (RNS Motors), Murudeshwar Ceramics, Naveen Hotels and Murudeshwar Power. He was the chairman of a chain of educational institutions under the R N Shetty Trust. He was a recipient of the Karnataka state government's [[Rajyotsava Award]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Profile of Rajyotsava Award Recipients(Year-Wise) |url=https://karnataka.gov.in/page/Awards/State+Awards/Rajyotsava+Awards/en |website=Karnataka.gov.in |publisher=Department of Information and Public Relation (Kannada and Culture Dept.) Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Karnataka |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref>

==Early life==
Shetty was born on 15 August 1928, in the coastal town of [[Murdeshwar]], in the present-day [[Uttara Kannada]] district of Karnataka into a family of farmers.<ref name=":0" /> His father was the ''Muktesar'' (Hereditary Administrator) of the [[Murudeshwar]] Temple dedicated to the [[Hindu]] God [[Shiva]]. After completing high school education, Shetty started his career as a civil contractor in [[Sirsi, Karnataka|Sirsi]].<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> Recounting his early days, Shetty is noted to have said that this choice was driven by the fact that back in those days there were no colleges in Sirsi for him to continue his studies.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" />

==Career==
In 1961, Shetty formed the R N Shetty & Company, a civil engineering and construction company.<ref>{{Cite web|last=PTI|title=RN Shetty death: Businessman, philanthropist RN Shetty dies in Bengaluru|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/businessman-philanthropist-rn-shetty-dies-in-bengaluru/articleshow/79773205.cms|date=17 December 2020|access-date=19 December 2020|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> The company took up public infrastructure buildings including bridges on the [[Honnavar]]–[[Bangalore]] road. In 1966, he shifted base from his native Uttara Kannada district to [[Hubli]], in the northern Karnataka.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" />

In 1967, he formed Naveen Mechanised Construction Company with seven other civil contractors. The company bid for the construction of the Hidkal dam in [[Belgaum]] district. However, when the company experienced large financial losses, Shetty bought his partners' shares and took over the company. In the following eight years, the company executed infrastructure projects across hydropower, irrigation, and bridges, that improved the company's financial position.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> Projects included the [[Raja Lakhamagouda dam|Hidkal dam]], [[Supa Dam|Supa reservoir]], and the [[Gerusoppa dam|Gerusoppa hydel power project]], all within the state of Karnataka.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Philanthropist, builder R N Shetty dies at 92|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2020/dec/18/philanthropist-builderr-n-shetty-dies-at-92-2237756.html|access-date=19 December 2020|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> He also built tunnels for the [[Konkan Railway]] project and [[canal]]s for the [[Upper Krishna Project]].<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> His company was{{when|date=December 2020}} awarded the Belgaum Bypass and Dharwad–Belgaum roadworks projects by [[National Highways Authority of India]] and roadworks at [[Maski]] in [[Raichur]] district by Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" />

In 1975, he entered the hospitality sector, through Naveen Hotels Limited. He built a five-star hotel in Bangalore that was leased out to [[Taj Group]] and branded as Taj MG Road Hotel in Bangalore. The group went on to build two additional hotels in Karnataka, Hotel Naveen in [[Hubli]] and the RNS Yatrinivas resort in Murudeshwar.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> A five star hotel was later built in Bangalore and is leased to the Taj group and operated as Taj Yeshwantpur Hotel.<ref name=":3" />

He set up a manufacturing unit to manufacture [[Mangalore tiles]] in 1977. Murudeshwar Tiles went on to be one of the largest [[Mangalore Tiles|Mangalore-tile]] units in the state.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> In 1981, he set up Naveen Structurals and Engineering focused on skilled fabrication for the construction industry.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=About Chairman Dr. Rama Nagappa Shetty {{!}} Ceramic & Vitrified Tiles India|url=https://www.naveentile.com/chairman/|access-date=18 December 2020|website=NaveenTile|language=en-US}}</ref> In 1987, he set up Murudeshwar Ceramics to manufacture glazed ceramic tiles with manufacturing facilities in Hubli and [[Karaikal]] in [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]].<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" />

In 1993, Shetty entered the power sector, setting up Murudeshwar Power Corporation which built a mini [[hydel power]] project in 1999, with a commissioned capacity of 11.6 MW at [[Narayanpur, Assam|Narayanpur]] Left Bank Canal in [[Bijapur district, Karnataka|Bijapur]] district.<ref name="R N Shetty Bio" />

His company RNS Motors established automobile showrooms for [[Maruti Udyog]] in Hubli in 1995 and in Bangalore in 1998.<ref name=":2" />

==Philanthropy==
Shetty undertook [[Philanthropy|philanthropic]] activities through the R. N. Shetty Trust, including primary and high schools, an engineering college, a nursing school, and a rural polytechnic, across Murudeshwar and Bangalore.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=RNS Polytechnic|url=https://rnspolytechnic.in/About-Trust|access-date=19 December 2020|website=rnspolytechnic.in}}</ref> The trust also operated hospitals and undertook rural education programs in Karnataka.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Philanthropist, builder R N Shetty dies at 92|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2020/dec/18/philanthropist-builderr-n-shetty-dies-at-92-2237756.html|access-date=18 December 2020|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=22 February 2005|title=100-bed hospital opened in Murudeshwar|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai, India|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/22/stories/2005022203620300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050223191127/http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/22/stories/2005022203620300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2005}}</ref>

Shetty was credited with the modernisation of the temple town of [[Murudeshwara]] and transforming it into a tourist attraction.<ref name=":1" /> The [[Murdeshwar]] [[Shiva]] temple and temple complex was renovated by funding from Shetty. The temple held religious significance for the deity, being believed to be one of the five parts of the ''[[Atmalinga]]'', which according to Hindu mythology, broke when the demon king [[Ravana]] tricked the elephant-god [[Ganesha]] into handing it over to him while performing his daily prayers, [[Sandhyavandanam]].<ref name=":1" /> The [[Gopuram|Raja Gopura]], with a height of {{convert|237.5|ft|m|0|abbr=}} is considered the tallest [[Gopuram]] in the world<ref name=":1" /> and the statue of [[Shiva]], at {{convert|123|ft|m|0}}, considered the largest in the world,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060919083208/http://www.hindu.com/2006/01/23/stories/2006012304670300.htm Newly constructed Shiva's statue in Bijapur is next to Murudeshwar statue]</ref><ref>[http://www.chennaionline.com/hotelsandtours/PlacesofInterest/2004/02murudesh.asp World's tallest Siva idol] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615041416/http://www.chennaionline.com/hotelsandtours/PlacesofInterest/2004/02murudesh.asp|date=15 June 2008}}</ref> were built using funding from Shetty.<ref name="Gopuram">{{cite web|last=Sahil online|first=TOI|title=Murudeshwar Temple Now Tallest Gopuram in Asia|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=45696|publisher=Daijiworld Media}}</ref>

<gallery widths="155px" heights="200px">
Image:Murdeshwar temple gopuram.jpg|The [[Gopuram]] in [[Murudeshwara]]
Image:Shiva Statue Murdeshwara Temple.jpg|The [[Shiva]] statue in [[Murudeshwara]]
</gallery>

==Awards and recognition==
[[Bangalore University]] awarded an Honorary Doctorate to Shetty in 2009<ref>{{cite news|title=Honorary doctorates |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/30/stories/2009043060070400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504144807/http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/30/stories/2009043060070400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2009|work=[[The Hindu]] | location=Chennai, India|date=30 April 2009}}</ref> and in 2004 he received the [[Visvesvaraya]] Memorial Award from the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry.<ref>{{cite web|title=R.N. Shetty presented Visvesvaraya award |work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2004-09-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=R.N. Shetty Photos |url=http://www.sahilonline.net/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=752}}</ref> He was a recipient of the [[Karnataka Government]]'s [[Karnataka Rajyotsava award|Rajyotsava award]] in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to RNS Infrastructure|url=http://www.rnsil.com/about-us.php|access-date=19 December 2020|website=www.rnsil.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Karnataka Rajyothsava Awards (1965 thru 2015)|url=http://siri.kannadasiri.in/downloads/Rajothsava_List.pdf|access-date=|website=Kannada Sri}}</ref>
[[File:RNS Institute of Technology 24.jpg|thumb|left|R. N. Shetty memorial at [[RNS Institute of Technology]], Bangalore]] {{clear}}

== Personal life ==
Shetty was married to Sudha Shetty and had three sons and four daughters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Smt. Sudha R Shetty Girls High School|url=https://moorusavirmath.org/sudha/history.html|access-date=19 December 2020|website=moorusavirmath.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 December 2020|title=Businessman, philanthropist RN Shetty dies in Bengaluru|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/business/business-news/businessman-philanthropist-rn-shetty-dies-in-bengaluru-928293.html|access-date=19 December 2020|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref><ref name="R N Shetty Bio" /> He died on 17 December 2020 in Bangalore of a cardiac arrest. He was aged 92.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Businessman And Philanthropist RN Shetty Dies Of Cardiac Arrest|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rn-shetty-businessman-and-philanthropist-dies-2339998|access-date=17 December 2020|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shetty, Rama}}
[[Category:Businesspeople from Karnataka]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:People from Uttara Kannada]]

R. N. Shetty - Revision history

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