The Founding history of KPA

There were four functioning associations at the time of the states re-organization in 1956. They were the Coorg planters’ association, the Coorg Indian planters' association, the Mysore planters’ association and the Indian planters' association, Chikmagalur. Leading members of all these association recognized the need for a common body which could represent the whole planting industry in the new Mysore state.

I had joined the Mysore planters' association and the Upasi some years earlier and was on the executive committee of the later from 1953. I was already aware of the Upasi ideas its own reorganization and the creation of new state planters’ association with concurrent membership. One of ideas considered was the setting up of a general Upasi committee representative of all states. Another was that only state planters' association nominees should be on the Upasi committee. The pros and cons of these ideas were in debate for quite some time before the states re-organisation brought about the need for quick decisions.

I was asked by the UPASI Committee to initiate discussions i n the formation of the UPASI with the Indian Planters' Association. The late Mr. S. N. Ramanna of the IPA, Chikmagalur and Mr. Richard Radcliffe supported the idea of a fully representative MSPA for the new State. It was a detail of arrangement that the Chairmanship of the new body was to alternate between an IPA and an MPA nominee. To smoothen things out I was elected chairman of the MPA in March 1956 in anticipation of events. By October, soon after the formation of the new State of Mysore I was contacted by the Coorg Planters' Association. I was forwarded a formal resolution of that Planters' Association showing its support for a State wide planting body. Mr.Ramanna decided to submit a similar resolution through the IPA.

Guarantee for small holders

We moved quickly at the MPA. I convened a meeting on 21st November at which we decided to ask the UPASI to lend us an office and staff with sufficient association experience and standing for the secretariat organization. There was general agreement that the office concerned should be 'able to solve small grower problems and speak Kannada. The IPA urged that small growers should have a guaranteed representation and local matters should continue to be handled by district Planters' Associations.

The MPA appointed a sub-committee to consider all these matters with Mr. Radcliffe, Hajee Mohamed Ishaq and myself as members. Due to various delays and difficulties to form a clear direction, we decided to consider another UPASI idea. That was for forming a UPASI branch for Mysore. The branch was to be managed by a Mysore Committee with its own Chairman.

However, on 12th January 1957, Mr. Radcliffe, Mr. C. I.Machia, who was then President of UPASI,

Mr. M. M. Belliappa, Mr. S. N. Ramanna and myself met at the Krishnarai Sagar Hotel and decided

to draft the rules for a greater Mysore association. With UPASI assistance a draft was pre-pared but it did not solve the problem of finance. Then UPASI offered to serve as Secretaries for the new body. The DPAs did not readily accept this suggestion and wanted a state association. Some of the members suggested the Branch idea to be considered again and others favoured an association consisting of only UPASI members in the State and the door being left open for others to join in.

Bricks from this precarious new edifice came tumbling down when the Coorg Planters ‘Associationintimated that they no longer thought a joint body with the rest of new Mysore was necessary. This left us where we started. I then proposed that until opinions changed, the MPA should move its office to a Central place and establish a proper secretariat. For practical reasons it was decided to disincorporate the MPA from under the Companies Act and set up in its place an unregistered association. We had about Rs. 35,000 in the MPA which was duly transferred to the new body. T. M. S.Subramaniyan & Co., Chartered Accountants were asked to liquidate the old MPA.

UPASI again took the initiative and put forward the idea of a Mysore State Planters' Association

consisting of its own members in the State and the office being located in the UPASI Secretariat. This was to avoid a new subscription being imposed on the members. At the same time a clearly identified body would be in place to act for planting interests in Mysore. The MPA authorized me to convene a meeting of all interested planting associations to consider the proposal. The meeting duly convened agreed to the formation of the MSPA consisting of UPASI members in the new State with hope that others would eventually join. The Chairman of the four district associations confirmed their support for this proposal on behalf of their respective associations.

The disincorporation of the MPA was completed and Mr.P. G. Gurjer took over from me as Chairman of the unregistered body. Meanwhile our work on the MSPA continued with UPASI offering the services of Mr. H. K. Chandrasekhar for Mysore affairs. At a meeting held in the Woodlands Hotel in Bangalore on the 3rd August, 1958 which I chaired, we did a fresh review and accepted the UPASI offer and further to revive the formal constitution of a greater Mysore association. Mr. C. I. Machia as UPASI President, took the initiative to form a first committee with Mr. P. G. Gurjer (Chairman,MPA), Mr. R. C. Patterson (Chairman, CPA), M/s.. R. Radcliffe, M. M. Appaiya, D. V. Dasappa, K. M. Varghese Mappillai, R. N. Karmarkar, N. K. Ganapaiah, Brig. C. P. Ponnappa,Haiee Mohamad Ishaq and myself as members.It seemed from the proceedings of the meeting that the initial enthusiasm with which the different Planters' Associations in Mysore had supported the idea of a State body had somehow evaporated. However, the proposal that the consent of the UPASI members in the new State of Mysore alone be taken to form a State body was the most practical way to overcome the inertia. At the special meeting which had been convened for the same day, the Mysore members of UPASI unanimously agreed to the

setting up of the Mysore State Planters' Association. I was elected the first Chairman, Mr.R. C. Patterson and Brig. C. P. Ponnappa proposing and seconding my nomination.

The Committee, duly elected by the general body, consisted of M/s. R. C. Patterson, P. G. Gurjer, R. Radcliffe, M. M. Appaya, D. V. Dasappa, K. M. Varghese Mappillai,R. N. Karmarkar, N. K. Ganapaiah, Hajee Mohamed Ishaq and Brig. Ponnappa. Mr. Patterson was elected as Vice-Chairman and Mr. H. K. Chandrasekharan was formally appointed as the first Secretary of the UPASI, a post he held with devotion and distinction until the Association had settled down to its active role, recognized in the State by all the producers and the general public.

There were various problems which came up at the first meeting. One was that of locating the

headquarters. Another was voiced by Mr. M. C. Cherian who opposed the rule of concurrent membership with the UPASI. Another was the entry limitation, one of the UPASI rules which at the time barred membership to those with less than 50 acres. Mr.Cherian withdrew his opposition to the concurrency rule, during the course of the meeting. The rule relating to estsize was subsequently modified by UPASI and now presented a problem. While the location of MSPA office unsettled, it was decided to use the Consolidated Estates offices in Pollibetta as a temporary measure.

The controversy over the concurrency rule was not though for the present it was patched up. Those who held line was acting as UPASI members and they could not amend a rule of the UPASI at that meeting. But it was to come up the Association meetings in subsequent years. There practical problems as CPA and MPA had a large member non-UPASI members who would resist any obligation to UPASI members. Since, the MSPA was being formed with only UPASI members at the moment, I found no reason the issue should hold up the proceedings, a view which veiled at the time.

A home for MSPA

At the first budget meeting of the MSPA held on 10th March, 1959 at Woodlands Hotel, Bangalore

we considered various suggestions. Mr. P. G. Gurjer offered his house in Chikmagalur for the

accommodation of the Secretary and there was another kind offer for temporarily locating the office while the Association considered various alternatives for a permanent home. The Annual Conference of a Planters' Association is visible demonstration of support from the planting city at large. We decided to proceed with the first one. Mysore city at the Sports Club which provided both sporting and conference facilities. The attendance was good and the occasion was taken for exchange of ideas, sports, meetings and discussions on coffee matters. Mr. B. D. Jatti, the ChiefMinister of the State, at the time, inaugurated the conference and the new Association was well and truly launched on career.

All those who took the initiative to form the MSPA in beginning, may look upon the KPA as the principal planting body of the State today, have reason to feel a measure of satisfaction that their work was not in vain. Some of those stalwarts who were most active in the cause are still around. The others we sadly miss.