Shri Vinod Surendra Doddanavar, Secretary of Bharatesh Education Trust, Belagavi, will receive the Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Lit.) during Rani Channamma University’s Convocation at Suvarna Soudha on Tuesday, 25th November 2025. The event will be attended by Hon. Governor Shri Thavarchand Gehlot.
A Life Dedicated to Education, Heritage, and Social Work
Vinod Doddanavar is an educationist, social worker, heritage conservationist, and respected community leader. He was born on December 7, 1965, in the well-known Doddanavar family, which is known for its business, public service, and contributions to the freedom movement. His father, Shri Komalanna Doddanavar, was a respected businessman, and his elder brothers Ajit and Rajiv were major influences on him.
Education and Professional Journey
He did his schooling in Belagavi and studied at Rashtriya Military School as a boarder. Later, he completed his B.Pharm at J.N. Medical College’s Pharmacy College in Belagavi and M.Pharm at the Government College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, after clearing the GATE exam.
He worked as a Research Scientist at Astra Zeneca under Nobel Prize winner Dr. Sune Bergström and later served as a professor at PESIT College of Pharmacy. He returned to Belagavi to support his family and entered their businesses in chemicals, mining, construction, and logistics.
In the mining sector, he promoted eco-friendly practices, planted lakhs of trees, and carried out social welfare work like providing drinking water to villages suffering from fluorosis, arranging health camps, and supporting eye surgeries.
Leadership in Bharatesh Education Trust
After his father passed away in 2008, Vinod joined the Bharatesh Education Trust’s Managing Committee. He helped start important institutions such as:
Bharatesh Global Business School
Bharatesh Central School, Halaga
Bharatesh Central School, Kudachi
In 2023, following the passing of his brother Rajiv, he became the Secretary of the Trust. Under his leadership, the Trust now runs 21 institutions with over 9,000 students and 700 staff members. The Trust achieved NAAC/NBA accreditations, expanded infrastructure, and launched a new engineering college—his dream project.
He also introduced many improvements such as:
Atal Tinkering Labs
Modern libraries
Academic, administrative, and value-based reforms
Heritage Conservation Efforts
Vinod Doddanavar has played a major role in preserving Belagavi’s heritage. As the Convener of the INTACH Belagavi Chapter, he helped publish books, document more than 100 heritage monuments, and support the restoration of temples in Halasi, Benwad, Idaragucchi, and Hannikeri.
Through the Acharya Shantisagar Foundation, he set up a Manuscript Restoration Centre at Bahubali, where over 70,000 ancient manuscripts have been restored and digitized. More heritage projects are ongoing in Karnataka and Maharashtra under his guidance.
