Dharwad
The Kannada and Culture department has decided to celebrate the Golden Jubilee year of renaming Mysore State as Karnataka, as a state festival. A slew of literary events will be held throughout the year, to instil the Kannadiga spirit, particularly among the youths.
After chairing a meeting of officials of the Kannada and Culture Department of Belagavi division and litterateurs in the city, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said, Karnataka@50 is being celebrated under the theme Hesarayitu Karnataka, Usiragali Kannada.
The department has been holding meetings at four divisions and the first two meetings have been held in Bengaluru and Dharwad to elicit the opinion of the people on this year’s celebration. A similar meeting will be held in Kalaburagi on August 28 and at the Mysuru division on September 4.
A comprehensive report on suggestions given by eminent personalities, writers and Kannada activists will be submitted to the CM on September 9 and the programmes will be finalised. The events will be organised from November 1 for one year across the state, he said.
The government has decided to bring out 50 books on the occasion, besides giving a facelift to the government Kannada schools which are located in the border areas and craving for educational infrastructure. A Kannada chariot will roll across the state, highlighting the unification of Karnataka and also the glory of the state, he said.
Reacting to a query on injustice to the artists and writers of North Karnataka in appointments to trusts and academies, Tangadagi said he will ensure regional balance in appointments to these bodies.
