Statue of Dr. Ferdinand Kittel unveiled in Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Nov 12, 2022: On the occasion of its 175th anniversary, Karnataka Theological College, Balmatta unveiled a statue of Rev Ferdinand Kittel in the campus on Saturday. The statue was unveiled by the great-granddaughter of Kittel, Almuth Barbara Eleonore Meyer (Kittel).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kittel is famous for his studies of the Kannada language and for producing a Kannada-English dictionary of about 70,000 words in 1894. He landed in Mangaluru in 1853. After unveiling the statue during the occasion, Almuth Barbara Eleonore Meyer (Kittel) said, "This is a great occasion. We are emotionally connected to this place. This city is really dynamic."

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy consul general federal Republic of Germany Friedrich Birgelen said, "For the first time I am coming to Mangaluru. I did not know about Kittel, but one day while I was walking on the streets of Bengaluru his statue was decorated and garlanded during the Kannada Rajyotsava. Contribution of Kittel to Kannada is a great legacy. Being a missionary, Kittel has contributed a lot to Kannada. He became a bridge between two countries. His desire to learn the local language, customs and music is laudable."

“The fact that we are in this beautiful land traversed by my great great grandfather Reverend F. Kittel, who worked for the people and cause of Kannada, is an emotional moment,” said Yves Patrick Meyer, great great grandson of Rev. Kittel.

B A Viveka Rai, former vice-chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, Bishop-KSD Rt Dr CL Furtado, Professor United Theological College, Bengaluru Dr Gudrun Lowner, Kannada scholar A V Navada, opposition leader MCC Corporator Naveen D’Souza, Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Sahitya Parishad MP Sreenath and others were present.