Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Nov 29: Jnanapeeta awardee, poet and folklorist Dr Chandrashekara Kambara inaugurated the second edition of two-day Mangaluru Lit Fest here at TMA Pai International Convention Centre on Friday, November 29.
The event is organized by Mangaluru Literary Foundation in association with Kannada and Culture Department. The fest this year is themed on ‘The Idea of Bharat – today and tomorrow’.
Inaugurating the programme, Jnanapeeta awardee, poet and folklorist Dr Chandrashekara Kambara said, "The two-day lit fest will turn out to be a very enriching programme. We are more inclined towards the western culture and also English education was introduced by the British government to strengthen their administration. Even the administrative language was turned to English and the language was made compulsory which created revolution. When we started accepting this move we lost the power of questioning. They even introduced several institutions, primary, higher, school, college concept were introduced. We became like slaves of English and too dependent on the English language.”
“The respective state language should be the medium of instruction for which I and Bhairappa had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Dr Chandrashekar.
Vice chancellor NITTE University Dr N Vinaya Hegde said, "We need to think what is damaging our country and where we are heading. We need to discuss about our economy, communal disharmony as damage that is happening every day. Young minds need to have their own identity believing in bringing some changes in the country without damaging the history. Language issue should not be bothered; we have multiple languages but there has to be the linking language. Language should be learnt with love and affection. Once you understand this basic then there is lot of tolerance in this country.
“Anyone who preaches violence has no place in this country, we should be peaceful and protect our motherland,” he said.
Renowned researcher, author and historian Dr M Chidananda Murthy said, "India was ruled by many countries, but India never ruled other countries or tried to impose our culture and tradition in other countries. We were ruled by other countries not only geographically but also mentally. State government has taken a right decision to scrap Tipu Jayanti, who was ordering to kill people belonging to other religion. Whoever ruled were trying to destroy people belonging to other religion.”
Lifetime award was presented to renowned researcher, author and historian Dr M Chidananda Murthy and also his book 'Sathyam Shodham Nirbhitham’ was released by Dr Chandrashekar.
The lit fest will have renowned speakers such as Rajeev Chandrashekar, Rajya Sabha, Member of Parliament, Anurag Thakur, union minister of state for finance and corporate affairs, Dr Ajakkala Girish Bhat, president, Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati Pradhikara, Malavika Avinash, actor, Vasudendra, author, Sahana Vijay, author, Smita Prakash, editor-in-chief, ANI, Savio Rodrigues, editor-in-chief, Goa Chronicle, Sanjay Dixit, additional chief secretary, Rajasthan, Gen G D Bakshi (retd), strategic affairs expert, Barkha Dutt, journalist and author, B L Santhosh, BJP general secretary, Prakash Belawadi, actor and activist, T S Nagabharana, film director, Shiv Aroor, author, Dr Vasanth Kumar Perla, poet and writer, Dr K K Muhammed, Padmashri awardee and author, Chaya Bhagavathi, author and poet, Dr Raghotham Sundarrajan, researcher among others.