JOIN USTommy Thomas, who is basically from Kerala, likes to identify himself as a Kannadiga. He is well known as ‘Naa Kannadiga’ in the district.
He attends Kannada programmes without fail, with a Kannada flag in his open vehicle. He has written the slogan ‘Naa Kannadiga’ on his vehicle.
Tommy is an employee at a resort. He speaks to the tourists arriving at the resort about the significance of the Kannada language and teaches Kannada to those who do not know the language.
A part of his earning is reserved for his endeavours towards the Kannada language.
He is currently based in Injilagere near Siddapura and has named his house ‘Naa Kannadiga Mane’.
He has been teaching Kannada to the migrant labourers from other states who are coming to Kodagu for work, in large numbers.
On November 1, he invites non-Kannada speakers to his place and celebrates ‘Kannada Habba’.
The local people who have a different mother tongue, say that they have been using Kannada in their daily lives, owing to the influence of Tommy Thomas’s love for Kannada.
Tommy is also the president of Virajpet Taluk Janapada Parishat. He has been providing Kannada books and dictionaries to learners.
He visits the government schools in the border areas of Kodagu, to create awareness of the Kannada language.
Tommy Thomas is a music enthusiast and an entire floor of his house is filled with old and new musical instruments that he has collected.
“Even though my mother tongue is Malayalam, Karnataka has provided me shelter. Kannada is the language of my daily bread. Everyone should take pride in the land one is living in. Therefore, I have been spreading knowledge of Kannada, which is gathering good response,” he said.