Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Mar 27: Dr B A Vivek Rai, professor in Wurzburg Univerisity, Germany, presented the Prof SVP Memorial Award to Prof T P Ashok, critic and college professor, on Friday March 26, at a function organized at the auditorium of Canara College here, under the aegis of Prof S V Parameshwar Bhat Memorial Committee.
Speaking on the occasion, Rai requested the writers to maintain the sanctity and unique identity of literature, by avoiding the urge to become stooges of either religion or politics. He also asked the writers to retain their individuality, in the midst of cultural upheavals and contribute towards the enrichment of democracy.
“If a person does not have an inborn love for the past heritage of literature, it is impossible for him to become a knowledgeable person’ he noted, pointing out that Prof S V Parameshwar Bhat steadfastly followed this principle all through his life. “He was a person who loved his native place very much, earned the well-wishes of the people of his place, and laid a strong foundation for Kannada heritage in Dakshina Kannada district,” he said.
Prof T P Ashok, speaking after accepting the award, noted that the education system in the country has turned into workshops for producing citizens of USA and Europe, in the name of modernization. India is like a village supplying raw materials to them. Our talents are being used for building capitalists and other countries. There is an emergent need to create awareness to enrich the culture of our land, he felt.
Well-known short story writer, Vaidehi, expressed the view that the schools and colleges, which have submerged themselves in text books, should be awakened.
President of the Committee, Erya Lakshminarayan Alva, presided. Son of Prof SVP, S P Ramachandra, secretary, Chandrakala Nandavar, and Prof Narasimhamurty were present.
Prof T P Ashok and writer Vaidehi then conducted a short story workshop for the students. Roopashri Nagaraj presented a programme of singing the poems written by S V Parameshwar Bhat.