Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Oct 11: “Westerners tried to divide us to bring us under their control. The situation now in the name of science is that we are unable to identify our parents. We are in an apartment culture. India's culture is great. We should not give up culture,” said Professor B M Hegde.

He spoke after receiving Dr Shivarama Karanth Hometown Award presented to him in a joint programme held by Kotathattu gram panchayat, Dr Karanth Hometown Award Foundation and Dr Shivaram Karanth Trust Udupi, at Kota Karanth theme park on the birth anniversary of Dr Shivarama Karanth.

“The world functions with the brilliance of our former generations. The Almighty was not in the Vedas. There was only a faint image of him. It is true that there is a power beyond science. It has become an inspiration for science,” he opined.

President of Udupi zilla panchayat, Dinaker Babu, who inaugurated the programme, spoke on occasion saying that Kotathattu grama panchayat impresses in the state. “It is commendable to identify a person born in the grama and excelled in the field chosen by him. Power is being effectively decentralised here," he said.

Managing director of Dr Karanth trust, Kota Srinivasa Poojary, said that it is the 113th birth anniversary of Dr Karanth. “While Kotathattu grama panchayat completed 23 years, the hometown Karanth award also was instituted, 13 years ago,” he said.

President of grama panchayat, Pramod Hande, presided over the programme. Taluk panchayat member Jyothi Kunder, Lalitha, senior advocate A S N Hebbar, vice president of grama panchayat Lokesh Shetty, development officer of grama panchayat Parvathi, secretary Meera, chief secretary of Dr Karanth Foundation Narendra Kumar Kota, member of the selection committee U S Shenoy and others were present.

President of the Award Foundation Anand C Kunder welcomed the gathering. Saligrama Makkala mela convener Sridhar Hande Kota described the awardee in a Yakshagana poem.