The Hindu : Karnataka News : Language should unite people: Seshagiri Rao

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Language should unite people: Seshagiri Rao

Staff Reporter

‘Literature is one though written in many languages’

BANGALORE: Eminent writer L.S. Seshagiri Rao on Monday regretted that language, which should have brought people together, was unfortunately being used to divide people.

This being the case, there was a need for forces that unite people. Fortunately, entities such as Dravidian University, have taken up the commendable job, he said and congratulated the university for fusing oneness among the people of southern States.

Prof. Rao was speaking after releasing five works, including two each translated from Telugu to Kannada and vice versa, brought out jointly by the Dravidian University, Kuppam, and the Karnataka Anuvada Sahitya Academy here.

Criticising the Union Government for not giving enough attention to nurture Indian languages, he said the task was being taken up by different organisations and institutions.

There are many languages, Prof. Rao said, pointing out that the “undercurrent”, however, was the same.

“We have been following the same culture, same tradition and experienced the same happiness and trauma from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.”

Thus, he said, literature is one though written in many languages.

Sesha Shastry of the Dravidian University spoke. University vice-chancellor Gangishetty Lakshminarayana and chairman of the academy Pradhan Gurudatta were present.

The translated works include Krishnadevaraya written by Nentoori Venkataramanaiah and translated into Kannada by Gurumurthy Pendakur, Bavali (Gabbila) written by Gurram Jashua and translated int o Kannada by Arkashali Vrushabhendrachar, Acharya Kunda Kundaru by K. Sharada, Maadu Muchchatlu written by Gopalakrishna Adiga and translated into Telugu by T. Narayana and Hyderabad-Karnatakalo Swatant rodyamam written by B.C. Mahabaleshwarappa and translated into Telugu by Aravinda Kumar.