Mangaluru INTACH celebrates World Book Day

Mangaluru

The Mangaluru Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) marked World Book Day with a reading and discussion session on ‘Erughattada Nadige', the Kannada translation of environmentalist Prof. Madhav Gadgil’s memoir, A Walk Up the Hill.

The session, moderated by INTACH convener Subhas Basu, took place at the Kodial Guthu Centre for Art and Culture. Guests included Kallur Nagesh, publisher of the Kannada edition; Prof. Krishnamurthy, retired Principal of Govinda Dasa College; and Artist-Environmentalist Dinesh Holla.

Basu began by sharing his experience of working with Gadgil in Bengaluru and Sirsi, calling him a people-oriented individual who deeply valued community engagement.

Publisher Nagesh highlighted that language, literature, and books reflect a society’s progress. He noted that while many believe reading is declining, the problem often lies in not knowing what to read. He emphasized the importance of making Gadgil’s biography accessible to Kannada readers.

Prof. Krishnamurthy spoke about Gadgil’s early exposure to books, mentioning that his family’s 3,000-book library helped nurture his passion for ecology.

Artist Holla praised Gadgil’s role in halting harmful projects in the Western Ghats, noting that books like Gadgil's inspire hope and raise awareness on ecological issues.

The event ended with a discussion led by journalist Jayant Kodkani, focusing on Gadgil’s development philosophy and his critique of unsustainable growth models.