Writers demand State government set up prathisthans named after literary scholars

Swamy Rao Kulkarni, publisher of Shirapur Prakashan, and Sujata Jangamshetty, president of Ranga Sangam Kala Vedike addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Writers have sought that the State government set up prathisthans named after eminent literary scholars Chennanna Walikar and Shantarasa Hemberalu. A group of writers from Kalaburagi district would take a delegation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and urge him to set up Prathisthans in the name of eminent literary scholars — Chennanna Walikar and Shantarasa Hemberalu.

Swami Rao Kulkarni, senior writer and publisher of Shirapur Prakashan, and Sujata Jangamshetty, president of Ranga Sangama Kala Vedike, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Friday said that Mr. Walikar, a renowned rebel writer and Shantarasa Hemberalu, a veteran writer and Nadoja awardee, have made immense contributions in the field of literature.

Mr. Walikar was a prominent voice of the rebel literary movement and bandaya tradition in Kannada literature. The eminent writer fought for the rights of marginalised communities through his writings untiringly.

Shantarasa Hemberalu had given a new dimension to ghazals in Kannada literature, by translating Urdu ghazals into Kannada. He played a vital role in Gokak movement and was part of the progressive literary movement in Kannada. The Bandaya movement started in 1974.

Dr. Kulkarni and Dr. Jangamshetty said that a delegation from the region would meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tentatively on January 10 in Bengaluru and appeal to him to set up pratishthans named after Chennanna Walikar and Shantarasa Hemberalu. 

Dr. Jangamshetty said the vedike has collected the signatures of eminent personalities from different fields who have expressed their solidarity for the cause. 

Highlighting the disparities between Kalyana Karnataka and the rest of Karnataka, Dr. Jangamshetty said that the State government has set up 27 prathisthans in the names of eminent personalities who have contributed to different fields from different districts across the State, except Kalyana Karnataka region.

Establishing pratishthans in the Kalyana Karnataka region will help in carrying forward the literary legacy , they added.