Importance of Kannada stressed at Sahitya Sammelana inaugural

Mangalore Todya News Network

Mangalore, Mar 15: “Kannada must be taught to people right from childhood to protect its status as mother tongue,” said H S Venkateshmurthy after inaugurating the 16th district-level Kannada Sahitya Sammelan held at Mathrashri Ratnavarma Vedike of Town Hall on March 15, Monday. Senior scholar Padekallu Narasimha Bhat is presiding over the programme under the guidance of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D Veerendra Hegde.

Venkateshmurthy said that Kannada must be given top priority in schools and urged the government to work for it because it has the power to do so. Speaking briefly about the greatness of the works of Kuvempu, he proceeded to say that the youth no longer honor Gandhiji and his works. He suggested that research must be done on ways to improve and develop the polluted language and society. Today’s children are literates; however, with regard to Kannada, they are educated illiterates, he declared. He urged the government to make Kannada speaking compulsory in schools up to Std X.

Shri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji, the seer of Pejawar Mutt, said that literature is the music of the mind, instilling humane values in people. Speaking about the greatness of literature, he said that literature is powerful enough to develop the society, language, career, and politics. He urged parents to stop forcing their children to speak English at home and honor the status of Kannada as mother tongue. He said that parents must fill their children with love and respect toward their mother tongue. Saying that learning English is essential to excel, he said that priority must simultaneously be given to one’s mother tongue, adding that we must love and respect all other languages too.

Harikrishna Punaroor released several books like Karunakar Balloor’s ‘Nenapina Angaladalli’, Harish Shetty Sudar’s, ‘Siri Mahatme’, Himakula Nazrath’S ‘Muththina Male’, Jnaneshwari S Joshi’s ‘Sujna’, N Narayana Ballal’s ‘Manamohaka Jille Dakshina Kannada’, ‘Thotadha Hadu’ by P S Koila, ‘Alasi Hoguva Munna’ by Ramachandra Pai Moodbidri, While U T Khader released ‘Anche Cardinalli’ authored by Kadri Navneeth Shetty and Sunandha S Rai.

A grand procession from Bunts Hostel Circle to Town Hall preceded the formal stage programme.

Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, president, Kannada Sahitya Parishat welcomed the guests and gathering.

Subraya Chokkady, Krishna J Palemar, district in charge minister, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Yogesh Bhat, MLA U T Khader, Mayor Rajani Dugganna, Harikrishna Punaroor, Ambathanaya Mudhrady, SV Bhat,  Prof Radhakrishna, Dr Ganesh Amin Sankamar, Dr Srinath, Dr Yashovarma, Thammayya, Sarvothamma Anchan, Meenakshi Gowda, Capt Ganesh Karnik, were present on the occasion.