The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-11-08
MANTEO ROTARlANS HEAR
ABOUT INDIA MONDAY
FROM KANNAlAH KONURl

A tobacco farmer of Guntur,
India, speaking to Manteo Rotar-
ians Monday night gave contrast
of living in the United States and
the democracy of his native coun-
try.
For the past several months, in
the role of goodwill ambassador
the speaker, Kannaiah Konuri, who
is member of the Rajahmundry
Rotary Club, has been making a
study of tobacco farming and mar
keting in North Carolina and be-
tween times, he has been guest
speaker at civic clubs from the
mountains to the coast. He stated
that one of his primary purposes
in this country was to promote
good will and a better understand
ing between his people and the
peoples of the United States. Soon
he goes to New York and the
United Nations for a visit, and
then he returns to India.
A member of the Indian Cham
Der of Commerce, Konuri is an
Advocate of the Indian Supreme
Court and president of the Magyar
juni-Sagar multipurpose r iv e r
Valley Project Committee in Gun
tur, South India.
"This project" he stated" is
costing 240 million dollars and will
irrigate four million acres of land
in famine-stricken South India"
While he is primarily tobacco
dealer and explorer he stated that
his main purpose for coming to
North Carolina was to increase his
knowledge of the tobacco indus
try. He has been in the tobacco
industry for the past % years.
Konuri is interested in building
up business connections with the
United States and improving Indo-
American relations, understanding,
and good will. He began his talk
by stating that the Constitution Of
India was copied from our Consti-
tuition and that the Supreme Court
has authority to interpret the Con-
stitution, and that the citizens OF
India enjoy today the same liber.
ties as do Americans.
His nation, he said, is divided
into IA states based on languages
but they are now attempting tc
establish a unified language.
Konuri pointed out that the In.
dian nation is in great need OF
raising its economic standards. The
present per capita income of ar
Indian is only $50 per year anC
F. the average citizen consumes onl,
1000 calories daily while the nor
NAL consumption should be 5000
The principal food of the masses
is rice and vegetables.
"India is a democratic natior
and about 10 million of it's 38(
million inhabitants are Christians
largely because of the work o.
American missionaries" said Ko.
nuri. He, himself, is Hindu.
American industry is invited te
participate in midas economic de
velopment by acquiring properties
and helping produce needed foods
and other necessities that will hell
an Indian know better life. He
urged this especially because In.
dia is a stronger believer in peace
full settlement of problems, a sort
of testing ground for future
Democracy" If India fails, due t.
Communistic influences that are
continually being injected into
Asian countries, the "repercussions
would be fels far beyond India's
borders," it was stated.
Arrangements for Konuri's APP
pearance in Manteo was made BY
Rotarian Roland Sawyer.
Several guests were present al
the meeting Monday including for.
mer District Governor p. d. Mid,
gett of Engelhard.
In the absence Of club president
Ernest Meekins, now on vacation
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