The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘People, governments being apathetic to Kannada cause’

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Sunday, Jul 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘People, governments being apathetic to Kannada cause’

Special Correspondent

‘Political and public will is lacking’
‘Bring art forms
to mainstream’

L.S. Sheshagiri Rao

BANGALORE: Issues related to Kannada and culture have not been addressed properly owing to lack of public and political will, writer L.S. Sheshagiri Rao has said.

He was speaking at “Maneyangaladalli Mathukate,” a monthly interactive session organised by the Directorate of Kannada and Culture here on Saturday.

Although there was an increased consciousness about Kannada, at various levels, there had not been unified and concerted efforts to convince the authorities concerned.

Contrary to the zeal and commitment being shown by Tamil- and Telugu-speaking people, and their governments, Kannada-speaking people and the governments had been showing indifference, he said. Prof. Rao said that the Centre had considered Tamil for the classical language status without much deliberations, but had set conditions in case of Kannada. The way in which the issue had been procrastinated reflected the lack of political and public will of Kannada-speaking people, he added.

Prof. Rao said that all cultural issues should be seen from a traditional perspective. There was a need to bring art forms such as Janapada and Yakshagana into the mainstream, he said.

Referring to the importance of English in education and for the development of Kannada, Prof. Rao, who taught English for over 40 years at the university level, explained the structural differences between English and Kannada and the semantic complexities of the two languages. Manu Baligar, Director, Kannada and Culture, spoke on the importance of being objective in literary criticism.

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