Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (TPL)

Udupi, Jun 8: 'Chakyababa', a collection of children’s stories by journalist Balakrishna Shibarla was released by advisor to the chief minister Dinesh Amin Mattu on Wednesday June 7 at Brahmagiri. A photo exhibition by Praveen G Kodavoor also took place.

In his address Mattu said, “Raising today's kids is a very difficult task. Internet, TV, advisors and experts can only explain the child’s physical growth, but mental growth and development are in our hands. Excessive use of TV, mobile phones, video games, IPads and so on which are meant for their relaxation, will only ruin the minds of our future generation, turning them into couch-potatoes and making them cluttered in their minds."

"Nowadays parents focus on their children’s interests and make sure they excel till their tenth grade. Ignoring their children's aspirations, parents force their children to study subjects pertaining to their own interest instead, bypassing their child's desires. Parental pressure overrules the child’s profesional choice, compelling the child to choose 'dignified’ white collar professions like medicine or engineering. They turn a deaf ear to their kid’s interests."

He stated, “These moral stories will help children in their all-round growth, increasing their imagination and will make them think out of the box. The stories also help parents to pass down our culture and tradition to be continued by the next generation. These stories being high on values and morals propogate an important message that knowledge rules the world."

Shibarla is of the belief that literature, music and art help to develop humanity in children and we should propogate their application to enhance intelligence.

Balakrishna Shibarla, Praveen Kodavoor, professor Sabita Gundmi, Paul D'Souza and others were present at the programme.