Puttur: Celebrating rich literary heritage of Kannada and fostering pride in the language, St Philomena College (Autonomous), Puttur, observed Kannada Rajyotsava with a programme highlighting the antiquity, cultural legacy and contemporary relevance of Kannada. The programme was jointly organised by the Department of Kannada, Kannada Sangha, Yaksha Kala Kendra, Students’ Council and the National Service Scheme (NSS) units of the college at the SJM Hall on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Dr Chandrashekar K., Head, Department of Physics, St Philomena College, said that even if a land possessed three oceans, a hundred temples and thousands of guardian deities, nothing could be achieved if its own people remained indifferent. Emphasising the need to awaken pride in Kannada and Karnataka, he said that it was the collective responsibility of every Kannadiga to remember the ancient traditions of the State and the contributions of literary figures, from Adikavi Pampa to modern poets, who had enriched the language and spread its fragrance. He urged students to understand the antiquity of Kannada and cultivate a deep sense of attachment to their mother tongue.
Presiding over the programme, Dr Vijay Kumar Moleyar, Head of the Department of Kannada and Vice-Principal of the College, observed that forgetting one’s mother tongue was akin to severing one’s roots. He called upon students to preserve their cultural and linguistic roots while embracing science and technology as instruments of progress and development.
Dr Moleyar also congratulated the meritorious student of the college, Vidushi Vindyashree Rai, a final-year B.Sc. student, on receiving the District Rajyotsava Award and extended his best wishes to her.
The celebrations also featured Kannada elocution and devotional song competitions organised to mark Kannada Rajyotsava and commemorate the birth centenary of poet Dr G. S. Shivarudrappa. Prizes were distributed to the winners from the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in recognition of their achievements.
Students of the Yaksha Kala Kendra presented a cultural programme, adding a traditional touch to the celebrations.
Dr Norbert Mascarenhas, Registrar (Academics), Dr Edwin D’Souza, Finance Officer, Suraksha S., Coordinator of the Yaksha Kala Kendra,Captain Johnson David Sequeira Deputy Registrar (Evaluation) and Dr Bharathi S. Rai, Public Relations Officer, were among those present. Heads of various departments, faculty members, non-teaching staff and students also attended the programme.
Manasa and Aparna rendered the prayer. Dr Radhakrishna Gowda, Student Welfare Officer, welcomed the gathering, while Prashanthi N., Asst Prof.in the Department of Kannada, proposed the vote of thanks. Srividya, a second-year B.Sc. student, compered the cultural programme, while Prathibha Shetty, Asst Prof.in the Department of Kannada, compered the formal session.