Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
 
Mangalore, Jan 30: A seminar on 'An analysis of Tejaswi's literature' was organized jointly by the Karnataka Sahitya Academy, Bangalore and Kannada department of the Mangalore University wherein the yeomen contribution made by the late writer Poornachandra Tejaswi to the Kannada literary world was recalled by a panel of distinguished  speakers. The seminar which was held here at the Old Senate hall of the Mangalore University on Tuesday January 29,  had speakers highlighting different points like democracy, modernism, rural life, science, nature, love etc in Tejaswi's writing.  

The seminar was inaugurated by Mangalore University vice-chancellor Prof K M Kaveriappa, who in his speech opined,” Tejaswi had deep concern for nature, which inturn is clearly reflected in his writings. He was a nature photographer too and rightfully may be called an 'Environment scientist'. In fact, he built a relationship between science and society," he articulated.    

Well-known thinker and close associate of Tejaswi Kadidal Shamanna going back in time and recalling his long association with the writer informed that Tejaswi's first short story was published in 'Prajavani' and then on he had gone far ahead and published several books. His work and day-to-day activities were itself a definition of his personality and it was difficult to put it into words, he added.  

Shamanna further revealed that Tejaswi was basically a local environmental scientist who had developed a curiosity and abiding interest in nature and unlike his father noted writer Kuvempu who worshipped nature, Tejaswi always aspired to look into the clandestine qualities of nature and tried to analyze and understand it. Comparing Tejaswi with Shivaram Karanth the noted Jnanpith awardee, he said the former was one step ahead of Karanth as he did not hesitate to adopt modern technology like computers in his literary works.  

Another speaker, academy registrar V N Mallikarjuna Swamy pointed out that Tejaswi was a special type of thinker and writer whose writings could hold the interest of the reader and also inspire the reader to develop an interest in reading. According to Swamy he was the only writer with farsightedness and a scientific outlook. Free from fictitious narrations, each page of his writings created curiosity in the reader, as they were written with a scientific background, he analysed. On a moralistic note he added "Tejaswi's decision to live in the Western Ghat ranges as a farmer, despite getting higher education is a lesson for today's youth aspiring for a career abroad."  

Academy member Dr Sabeeha Bhoomigowda considered the three litterateurs viz., Kuvempu, Karanth and Tejaswi on the same level in terms of their literary achievements. Tejaswi walked his talk and also implemented his thoughts which is the reason behind his greatness, she lauded. Another speaker Kannada department HoD Abhaykumar said that at a time when people had superstitious beliefs about forests, Kuvempu saw beauty in it. Later Tejaswi found out that there is a unique culture and an inherent wonder in the forest, "he thus understood nature well" noted Abhaykumar.