Funding for setting up Kannada Chairs in Four Foreign Universities
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Feb 11: In a path-breaking initiative aimed at assisting Kannada research scholars residing abroad, Karnataka’s Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has mooted a proposal on funding to set up Kannada Chairs in four universities in Germany and Austria.
KDA Chairman “Mukhyamantri” Chandru said three of the four universities are in Germany: Munich University, Heidelberg University, University of Wurzburg, and the fourth university is Vienna University, Austria.
Mukhyamantri Chandru said the Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has been requested to allocate Rs 2 crore each for setting up a Kannada Chair in each of the four universities in the State Budget for 2011-12.
The proposal, if accepted by the Chief Minister and funding is made in the state’s budget for the year 2011-12, will be a novel initiative for a state government in India offering financial assistance in its annual budget for foreign universities, albeit for setting up of Kannada chairs.
The BJP MLC, who earned the name of Mukhyamantri for his memorable role of a chief minister in a Kannada movie, explained that the four universities had already established Indology Departments to teach Indian languages.
For the benefit of research scholars, Mukyamantri Chandru said the Universities had sought one-time grant to set up chairs and purchase Kannada books.
Mukhyamantri Chandru, who led a delegation to these universities, said the University of Wurzburg has nearly 2500 Kannada books and 250 video cassettes of various Kannada films.
The foreign universities had also inked pacts with some of the State universities for promoting Kannada and exchange of faculty, he said.
Meanwhile, the KDA chief said the Government has decided to hold a programme at the Freedom Park here on Sunday to grant fellowships of Rs 20,000 each for 80 post-graduate Kannada students studying in seven universities located outside the State.
The annual fellowship amount of Rs 16.38 lakh would be given to 38 girls and 42 boys studying MA programme in Kannada in Kannada Post-Graduation and Research Centre, Kasaragod; Madras University, Chennai; Usmania University, Hyderabad; Bombay University, Mumbai; Madurai Kamaraja University, Madurai; Dravida University, Kuppam; and Sollapur University, Akkalakote.
He said ‘Kannada Nudi Teru-Jagriti Jatha would be launched in Nandagada in Belgaum district on February 22 to create awareness about the language in the border areas of the State on the eve of World Kannada conference in Belgaum next month.
The ‘Jatha’ would pass through Kittur, Bailahongala, Savadatti, Ramadurga, Gokak, Raibagh, Athani, Chikkodi and Hukkeri constituencies of Belgaum district, he said.