List of Bunts

Bunt /ˈbʌnt/, also spelled 'Bant' in former English usage, are a Hindu community of erstwhile nobility, feudatory and gentry from the region of Tulu Nadu in the south west of India which comprises the districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada in the Indian state of Karnataka.

Following is a partial list of notable Bunts. The list also include members of the minuscule Jain Bunt community who follow Jain traditions. The names of Jain Bunts are in italics.

Academia

• H. S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor Manipal University and philanthropist^[1]

Art

• Sudarshan Shetty, sculptor^[2]

Business

• B. R. Shetty, CMD New Medical Centre, dollar billionaire and Padma Shri awardee^[3]
• R. N. Shetty, CMD RNS Infrastructure and hereditary administrator of Murudeshwara Shiva Temple^[4]

Crime

• Sadhu Shetty, underworld don^[5]

Entertainment

• Aishwarya Rai, Miss World, Padma Shri awardee, Hollywood and Indian Film Actress^[6]
• Anushka Shetty, Indian film actress^[7]
• Ganesh Hegde, Indian singer, performer, video director and choreographer^[8]
• V. Manohar, Karnataka State Film Awards-winning lyricist/music director^[9]
• Pooja Hegde, Indian film actress^[10]
• Prakash Rai a.k.a. Prakash Raj, National award-winning Indian film actor and director^[11]
• Shilpa Shetty, Indian film actress^[12]
• Sunil Shetty, Indian film actor^[13]

Literature

• D. K. Chowta, writer, artist, businessman and former General Secretary of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath^[4]

Law

• Nitte Santhosh Hegde, judge of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayuktha (ombudsman) of Karnataka state^[14]

Science and medicine

• Belle Monappa Hegde, physician, author, educationist and Padma Bhushan awardee^[15]
• Kullal Chickappu Naik, authority on horticulture, first vice-chairman of University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore^[16]

Sports

• Ashish Kumar Ballal, captain of Indian hockey team and Arjuna awardee^[17]

References

1. "Sangha to honour Bunts". The Times of India. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
2. Nadine Kreisberger. "I have no choice but to be a sculptor". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
3. Claude, Fernandes (2005). "B R Shetty". Mangalorean Star.
4. CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar. "World Bunts’ Foundation Trust felicitates achievers". Coastal Digest. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
5. Shilpa Shetty, Aishwarya Rai – Bunts and Bubblies – January 29, 2007, CNN-IBN blog
6. ANI (27 December 2010). "Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan participate in event organised by Bunt community". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
7. Vinobha KT (24 December 2011). "Household Kola draws Tulu belle to Bellipady". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
8. Kunal M Shah (2 Jun 2011). "Ganesh Hegde gets hitched". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
9. TNN (20 December 2001). "World Bunts meet begins Friday". Times of India. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
10. Vinobha KT (24 December 2011). "Household Kola draws Tulu belle to Bellipady". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
11. TNN (20 December 2001). "World Bunts meet begins Friday". Times of India. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
12. Web-vani News Service. "'I am Inseparable from Bunt Community,' avers Shilpa Shetty". www.mangalorean.com. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
13. Violet Pereira (29 March 2011). "Mangalore: A tete-a-tete with Suniel Shetty". Mangalorean.com. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
14. Daijiworld Media Network (7 November 2010). "Mangalore: Justice Santosh Hegde Releases Book on Bunts' History, Culture". Daiji World. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
15. "M'lore: Prof B M Hegde Exhorts Bunt Elders to 'Walk their Talk'". Daijiworld. 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
16. The Illustrated weekly of India, Volume 94, Issue 2. The Illustrated Weekly of India. 1973. p. 23.
17. Aby Jose (20 December 2010). "Goalkeeper who chased goals with grit". Times of India. Retrieved 16 December 2011.