Mysuru
“Our land has nurtured a rich variety of art forms, and art is one of the important mediums through which our culture is expressed. Students staying in hostels should enthusiastically participate in the art training camp organised by the department and identify the artist within themselves,” said Nirmala Mathapati, joint director of the Department of Kannada and Culture.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Art Training 2026 programme organised jointly by the Department of Kannada and Culture, Mysuru; the Department of Social Welfare, Mysuru; and the Department of Tribal Welfare, Mysuru, here on Thursday, she said
Karnataka is a land of diverse art forms and that artists have made significant contributions towards preserving and promoting its cultural heritage. Organising such a programme as an extracurricular activity for students residing in hostels was a unique initiative.
The training camp, being conducted under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan, will provide talented students interested in the arts from Social Welfare Department hostels and pre- and post-matric hostels under the Tribal Welfare Department an opportunity to undergo training in any one of the following disciplines: folk dance, light music, classical music, instrumental music and theatre songs.
At a meeting of the Art Training Selection Committee held on August 1 under the chairmanship of the Joint Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture, Mysuru Division, it was decided that the training would be conducted for six months, three days a week, for two hours a day at the respective hostels.
Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, Assistant Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture, said applications had been invited from senior artists belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to serve as trainers. As many as 32 Scheduled Caste students and 30 Scheduled Tribe students had applied to undergo the training.
Tribal Welfare Department Coordination Officer Mallesh M.K., wardens K.S. Saraswathi and G.R. Mohan Kumari, senior theatre personality Puttannaiah and Kamsale artist B.S. Mohan Kumar were among those present.
