The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : The curious case of the ‘missing’ cultural diary

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Sunday, May 03, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

The curious case of the ‘missing’ cultural diary

K.N. Venkatasubba Rao

The Rs. 50-lakh project was launched in 2003
The information is missing from the Department of Culture since 2006

Bangalore: Hard copies and master CDs of the first and finalised volume of the Suvarna Samskriti Darshike, a cultural diary compilation project, containing over 29,000 names of writers, artistes, musicians and others, has reportedly “disappeared” or is “missing” from the Department of Culture since 2006 in a mysterious manner, according to sources in the Government.

The project was launched in 2003 by the then Minister of State for Kannada and Culture Rani Satish with an objective to provide complete information about those in the field of culture and to bring the deserving rural talents in all cultural forms to the centre stage. It was scheduled to be published in 2006 to mark the golden jubilee year of the State.

A team of officials was assigned to collate requisite information in the prescribed forms from artistes, writers, musicians, dancers and others, including cultural organisations in all the 176 taluks in the State. The Department of Kannada and Culture had established 20 data centres in Bangalore city alone. It had made the prescribed forms available in all such centres established in all districts and taluks.

Book form

The Government was keen on publishing the final product in book and CD ROM forms. It had even made preparations to post it on an exclusive website. It had earmarked Rs. 50 lakh for the project, which was subjected to periodic revision. It had instructed those concerned to compile the diary within the stipulated timeframe.

Following Government instructions and encouragement from literary and cultural circles, the team of officials collected and collated information of over 29, 000 names of culturally important persons across the State though the initial target was to collect information of about 20, 000 persons for the first volume, well ahead of schedule.

Even as finishing touches were being given to the diary, some officials concerned sought the Government’s advice whether the names of those who had left the country or were dead were to be included in the cultural document.

On the advise, the names of those dead and who had left the country were deleted and the volume was set for printing and website purposes. With the Government deferring the Suvarna Karnataka celebrations three times for various reasons, the department has forgotten the project.

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