Born on April 3rd, 1939, N. Vinaya Hegde, after his schooling at St. Aloysius College, Mangalore moved to Bangalore to get his B.Sc. from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore.

Mr. Hegde is an industrialist, an educationist and a philanthropist. After mastering the nuances of manufacturing and marketing of automobile leaf springs, Mr. Hegde set himself to start his own enterprise and thus, the Lamina Suspensions Products Private Limited was started in the year 1977 which soon became a deemed public limited company.

As an educationist, he has established 22 institutions in Bangalore, Mangalore and Nitte under the aegis of Nitte Education Trust of which he is the President. There are more than 10,000 students studying in these institutions with about 2,680 staff.

As a philanthropist, Mr. Hegde has touched the hearts of and brought smiles to thousands of families. This work that began more than 25 years ago is continuing with all humbleness and fervor. Community welfare has always been dear to Mr. Hegde and the Nerekare Kshema project meaning welfare of the neighbourhood, has been launched for the integrated development of the community. Housing, drinking water supply, vocational training, health care and education are the areas that are taken up.

The health care program be it free oral or medical check-up camps, hospitalization schemes and special programs for the aged or disabled has covered over 10 lakh people so far. The health centre established in various parts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagalur, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu and Kasargod districts serve the rural poor.

These are some of the welfare schemes that are conducted by Mr. Hegde through the Justice KS Hegde Charitable Foundation, established in memory of his late father. The foundation also honours persons, who through their selfless service and by upholding values of righteousness and courage have contributed to the welfare of the society.