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Chapter 6 Volunteer Work
I am a firm believer in giving back to society. To that end, I have actively volunteered for the religious organization “Veerashaiva Samaja of North America.” VSNA for short, I committed to this non-profit for a total of 40 years. I contributed at all levels, and even served as president for two consecutive years in 1997 and 1998.
When I was close to retiring in 2016, the following email was sent out to past and present officers, as well as to the senior members of the organization.
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A few years went by before I found myself volunteering at the organization once again. In the years 2020 and 2021, I was filing a lawsuit to protect VSNA from its downfall.
The email sent to the members reads as following:
November 30, 2016
Gadigeppa S. Doddamani
West Bloomfield, Michigan
My fellow VSNA Members,
I am writing this letter to effectively retire from my role at the VSNA. I wish to share what I consider my achievements to this great organization during my 37 years of service.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, the members of the VSNA, for all your help and cooperation over the years. Though I will no longer be an active member in this organization, I will always be happy and available to answer the VSNA’s call in the future, should the need arise. The following is a brief history of my involvement with, and service to, the VSNA.
Life Member: I accepted the VSNA Life Membership in the early 1980s and persuaded many more to become Life members and support its cause.
VSNA President 1997–1998: For the first time in the history of VSNA, secret ballot voting took place. Through this, I was elected president. I served the organization in various capacities and attended about 35 VSNA conventions.
Member of Bylaws Committee: In 1997, we hired an attorney in Michigan to write the VSNA bylaws. I coordinated between the VSNA and the law firm to prepare them. The bylaws were implemented on July 3, 1998. Later, they were changed; once in 2005 and then again in 2012. During these years, I remained an active member of the bylaws committee. I helped get the VSNA registered as a non-profit corporation and for Michigan to be its home state in 1998.
VSNA Convention Trust Fund: For the first time in VSNA history, fundraising for the Convention Trust Fund was underway during the Detroit convention in 1997.
As VSNA president, I was instrumental in organizing and helping the fundraising committee. We raised a whopping $300,000. For the second time in 2016, I spearheaded the fundraising activity and we raised over $50,000 during the Maryland convention. These are the total VSNA assets we have had in 40 years. I feel very proud of the collective efforts that have made it more than possible for everyone to help the hosting of VSNA annual conventions in the years to come.
Chairman of Election Committee: We elected the present and the previous VSNA officers and BOR members. I had been persuading members to become VSNA officers for several years prior to facilitate the smooth running of our esteemed organization.
VSNA Convention Chairman: I served as the Detroit Convention chairman in 2007. The vicechairman was a second-generation young man. He was selected specially to encourage other youths to actively participate in the coming years.
Orientation Course for VSNA Officers: I developed and conducted an orientation course for the benefit of new VSNA officers at 3 different conventions at 3 different locations: Detroit in 2007; Toronto in 2010; Palo Alto in 2012.
VSNA Service Awards: I received the following awards from multiple VSNA conventions.
• 2002 Convention in Columbus, Ohio for “Fostering the Growth of VSNA.”
• 2005 Convention in Maryland for “Outstanding Service to the Veerashaiva Community.”
• 2008 Convention in San Ramon, CA for “Outstanding Service to the VSNA Community.”
• 2011 Convention in Boston, MA for “Commitment Towards Success of VSNA.”
Chairman of VSNA Advisory Council:
I served as chairman of the advisory council after being selected by former presidents of the VSNA as well as chairpersons of the Board of Regents. I have been attending BOD meetings for the past 5 years.
My brochures listed below can be accessed on www.vsna.org:
• VSNA Annual Convention Manual
• Welcome to VSNA
• Orientation course for VSNA officers
Other positions I have held are as follows.
Director of Veerashaiva International Resource Center (VIRC)
I was the first director of VIRC from 1998 to 2002. The VIRC brochure can be found on the VSNA website. Given my association with VSNA, I have held on to all possible souvenirs and newsletters. I raised $1325 for this project. The names of everyone who donated are listed on the VSNA website.
First Split of VSNA in 2010
When JSS Swamiji announced his intention to start a JSS mission center in the United States, we feared this would result in the splitting up of our small community. A case in point for us was Karnataka, which has now broken up into so many sects. Each sect has its own Swamiji. We officially requested Swamiji to support VSNA instead, taking care of whatever projects he wished. Despite our collective effort, Swamiji went on to initiate a JSS mission in Maryland. It came as no surprise when a few VSNA members broke off from the main chapter to volunteer at the new organization.
Second Split of VSNA in 2013
In 2013, some VSNA members in the New England area decided to start their own organization by the name of the International Basava Center (IBC). It was built on the same model as the VSNA. Of course, we couldn’t sway them and did what was best at the time. We simply wished them good luck.
God bless VSNA.
Sincerely
G. Doddamani
Gadigeppa Doddamani: President VSNA in 1997 and 1998. Annual Convention picture.
Gadigeppa Doddamani: President VSNA in 1997 and 1998. Annual Convention picture. Right side of Swamiji in the above picture
Right side of Swamiji in the above picture
Donation To VSNA
November 1, 2021
From: Gadigeppa Doddamani West Bloomfield, Michigan
To: Mr. Harish Hiremath. President, VSNA
As a devout believer in the principles and practices of the way of life of the 12th century Veerashaiva Saints, we - my wife Prabha and I – would like to donate $100,000.00 to the VEERASHAIVA SAMAJA OF NORTH AMERICA (VSNA) to promote and propagate their philosophical pithy pronouncements, the Vachanas. This we believe and trust to be in the fitness of the lofty principles that led to the founding of the VSNA some 44 years ago. This donation of ours’ requires the following conditions and stipulations.
1. After the stipulated period of 20 years, the VSNA shall equally divide and distribute our entire donation among five charitable organizations in the United States.
2. This donation of ours’, if invested, ought to generate $100,000.00 for VSNA during its tenure of 20 years for the use of its activities as described in its preamble of the bylaws.
3. The above stated stipulation shall have the approval of the General Body as new Article of the Bylaws of the VSNA Corporation. This approved article shall not be subjected to amendment(s) during the course of its tenure.
A Word About the Donors:
Although Mr. Doddamani has served VSNA at all levels including as its President, for the sake of formality the following provides information about his background.
He was born in a small village in Karnataka, India. Orphaned at childhood, His uncle, himself very poor, raised him. Gadigeppa somehow managed to get high school and college education living in Swamiji Mathas. After getting his M.Sc. degree in chemistry, he taught in a college for eight years. Then in 1974, he moved to USA as student on assistantship.
After getting a graduate degree in US, he began his career as research chemist in Detroit, Michigan. After 32 years of service, he retired. His wife, Prabha, also worked as a chemist for 31 years. Now they lead a retired life in Michigan. Their son, Ravi, an engineer, lives in New Orleans, LA and daughter, Sunita, works as an Asst. Attorney General of the State of Michigan. They have five grandchildren.
The Doddamanis’ are the primary donors of the Basaveshwar Bhavan, a community Center, in his native village in India. This facility was dedicated to the public on February 7, 2020. Information on this center is available at: www.basamitin.wixsite.com/bhavan
Sincerely
G. Doddamani
