The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Awards sought in the name of literary giants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2007
ePaper


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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Awards sought in the name of literary giants

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Government, in association with its academies and universities, should institute awards named after literary stalwarts such as Kuvempu, A.Na.Kru, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, Shivarama Karanth and Pu.Ti.Na. who have brought honours to the State and its language, poet K.S. Nissar Ahmed has said.

He was speaking after releasing "Bharatiya Jnanpith Sahitya Prashasthi Puraskrutaru" (Jnanpith award winners), authored by Sa.Shi. Marulaiah, here on Tuesday.

Although the Government was not keen on instituting such awards, many private institutions and individuals were organising literary functions to recall the contribution of some of the literary giants and presenting awards with the help of benevolent entrepreneurs, he said.

Explaining the history of Jnanpith award and the reported procedural anomalies in overlooking the claims of certain writers, Prof. Nissar Ahmed said that the number of Jnanpith awards won by Kannada writers would speak of the importance of its literature.

Poet G.S. Siddalingaiah said that awards were only recognition and not a tool to measure the creative abilities of a writer. Great writers such as D.H. Lawrence and Leo Tolstoy did not get the Nobel Prize. A thinker of Jean Paul Sartre's stature had even refused the award.

Managing Director of Nirman Shelters, an organiser of the event, V. Lakshminarayan, said that Kannada writers should also grow on a par with industrialists financially. He had offered free residential sites to many writers owing to his love for literature and respect for writers, he added.

Managing Director of Sapna Book House Nitin Shaw welcomed the gathering. Prof. Marulaiah explained the objectives and features of the book. Sri Balagangadharanatha Swami of Adichunchanagiri Mahasansthan was present. Minister for Higher Education D.H. Shankaramurthy presided over the function.

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