Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 3: President of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Dr Nallur Prasad, declared that the 77th All India annual Kannada Sahitya Sammelan will be held for three days from December 24 to 26. He disclosed that the venue of the Sammelan will be the National College ground in Basavanagudi.

He was speaking after participating in a programme to inaugurate the reception committee office of the Sammelan and for releasing of the Sammelan’s emblem, at the hall of the Parishat on Tuesday November 2.

“To ensure that Kannada language and literature alone will get highest priority at the Sammelan, food arrangements will be simple. The practice of issuing bags and water bottles to delegates participating in the Sammelan is being dispensed with as an austerity measure, to save money for undertaking activities for the welfare of Kannada”, he disclosed. He reiterated the earlier stand that the practice of handing over a sum of Rs 11 lac to the Sammelan president is being discontinued from this year, as offering of the post of the president of the Sammelan in itself, is the most valuable honour one can aspire for.

Prasad said that the government employees in the state have decided to contribute a day’s salary for the Sammelan. In addition, MLAs and MPs from the state will be setting aside a month’s salary each for the Sammelan expenses, he claimed.

President of the Sammelan Reception Committee and home and transport minister, R Ashok, speaking after releasing the emblem, opined that holding of such Sammelans is in the interests of the language, as those who fail to protect and respect their mother tongue lose their identities. He also called upon the people from other states living in Bangalore, to learn Kannada and become Kannadigas.

MLC, Ashwathnarayana, and city district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president, C K Rame Gowda were present.