Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Mar 21: Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy (KTSA) 2007 book award presentation and book release ceremony  was organized at the Town Hall here, on Thursday, March 20. On the occasion Dr Ganesh Amin Sankamar welcomed the gathering, while Dr Gananath Ekkar made the introductory remarks.
 
"Although Tuluvas have contributed thier mite to the development of Kannada language and literature and outshined others all over the world, the State government on its part has not given sufficient support to the development of Tulu language and culture," lamented  well-known senior litterateur Erya Lakshminarayan Alva.

Speaking at the book award presentation ceremony, he pointed out that the Tulu Sahitya Academy has contributed a lot for the  development of Tulu language and culture in the last decade only due to the dedication and personal interest taken by the academy presidents, and not due to the support of the government, he added.
 
"Tulu speaking people have achieved a lot in different fields, all across the globe. Our people have reached great heights in Mumbai city only through Tulu language. Some of us have even become ministers in Maharashtra State. However, the Karnataka government's negligence towards Tulu language and culture is hindering the development of the language," he averred.
 
According to him Tulu language has been denied it just place in the galaxy of languages. It is a treasure trove of poetry, literature and nuances but it has not got the place it truly deserves, he rued. He cautioned "There is a threat to Tulu language due to globalization and domination of English language. Therefore, one should do one's best to retain Tulu language and culture. In the meantime, the state government should raise the grant given to Tulu, he urged.

Harikrishna Punaroor, former president of the Karnataka Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KKSP) presiding over the function said that the government has yet to take a decision on including Tulu as an optional subject from 6th standard onwards. Further he opined that owing to globalisation and liberalisation the hold of English language has become more pronounced in recent days,  which in turn has weakened the local language movement. Therefore he made an ardent plea to the government to give various incentives to develop and promote local languages. 
 
Earlier Harikrishna Punarur released 13 Tulu books published by the KTSA. M K Sitaram Kulal, president of KTSA presided over the function. Punaroor also presented the awards to Shashiraj Rao Kavoor for his Tulu poetry Posa Osar (new water) and ‘Sarvajnana Vachanolu’ a translated book of Bhaskara Bhandary Majibail. Academy president M.K. Seetharam Kulal also spoke on the occasion,  and gave his inputs about the activities of the academy.
 
Academy registrar H S Shivarudrappa and Bola Chittranjandas Shetty were present on the dais. Writer and poet Bola Chittarajan Das was the chief guest. Shashiraj Rao Kavur, Sammit Bhandary on behalf of the late Majibail Bhaskar Bhandary and M K Ravindranath, a well-known organizer were all felicitated on the occasion.