Karnataka - Hassan   

Government urged not to shorten State anthem

Staff Correspondent

Contributions of Pampa, Kuvempu remembered during sammelan

TRADITIONAL START: President of the Karnataka Suguma Sangeetha Parishat Y.K. Muddukrishna inaugurating the sahitya sammelan in Hassan on Saturday.

HASSAN: Karnataka Suguma Sangeetha Parishat president Yedekere K. Muddukrishna has appealed to the Government not to shorten the State anthem (Naada Geethe) under pretext that it took four minutes to render. Such an action would be an insult to its composer, renowned poet Kuvempu. He was speaking after inaugurating the Second Hassan Taluk Kannada Sahitya Sammelan at Jeevanadi Hemavathi Vedike in Hassan on Saturday.

Mr. Muddukrishna said in this era of globalisation, liberalisation, information technology and biotechnology, culture and language should be protected to meet new challenges. Culture was the backbone of our country while language was the key to development, he added.

English in schools

Mr. Muddukrishna expressed concern over the ambiguity of the Government's stand on the introduction of English in primary schools.

He suggested that English be taught from fourth standard, and Kannada be the medium of instruction from first to third standard.

Shivalinga Swamiji from Tanneer Math said literature, music and art were an integral part of our culture.

Language must be used for the betterment of society, he said and lauded the contribution of Pampa and Kuvempu.

J.R. Nanjunde Gowda, who presided over the First Hassan Taluk Kannada Sammelan in 1982, handed over the Kannada flag to sammelan president A.S. Kale Gowda. Udaya Kumar conducted the programme. District Kannada Sahitya Parishat president H.B. Ramesh gave the introductory address.

Literary conferences should aim at creating awareness among Kannadigas and writers should encourage the youth to emulate the lives of great people, Mr. Kale Gowda said.

He described Hassan as a combination of the Malnad and Bayalu Seeme regions with its cultural centres of Belur, Halebeedu and Shravanabelagola. Writers Aa. Na. Krishnarayaru, Gorur Ramaswamy Iyyengar, S.V. Ranganna, S.L. Bhyrappa had enriched Kannada literature, he said, adding that the district had even given a Prime Minister (H.D. Deve Gowda) to the country.

Classical language status

Mr. Kale Gowda demanded classical language status to Kannada since it was more than 2,000 years old and had produced seven Jnaana Peetha awardees.

Mr. Kale Gowda said he had no objection to English being taught in schools, but it should not be the language of instruction.

Chief guest A.N. Nagesh, Editor of the Kannada daily "Jana Mithra" regretted that following the influence of other languages, the use of Kannada was diminishing.

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