While there are many who complain about outsiders not making an effort to blend in, BV Raghavan has been working towards solving the problem. Kannada Prasara Parishath (KPP), that he founded in 1990, has taught Kannada to lakhs of people till now. “Kannada ondu sarala bhashe. Kannada kaliyuvudu sulabha. It means Kannada is a simple language and learning Kannada is easy, so people shouldn’t shy away from learning it. This is my approach in teaching Kannada to people from all walks of life in my classes,” explains Raghavan.
The easy breezy way to learn Kannada makes it fun for his students. “If I want to teach them about vegetable shopping, I take them to a market, grocery store. When I want to teach them about hailing an auto, speaking to a policeman, ordering food in a hotel, I give them practical demonstrations. The purpose is to enable them to converse in the local language so that their life becomes easier,” feels Raghavan.
Raghavan has masters degrees in commerce, journalism, law and various diplomas in computer courses. He worked with NGEF for some years before it shut down in 2002. “I was teaching Kannada even before that because I love to teach and I love Kannada. It is such a rich language with beautiful literature.”
As the influx of IT companies in the 90s began to draw people from other states to Bengaluru, Raghavan felt a need for an organisation to spread the knowledge of the local language. “There were hardly any organisations doing it so I started Kannada Prasara Parishath with a few friends for people who have come from other states and for those who are from here but didn't study Kannada in school.”
For the general public, KPP runs Sunday classes at Medical Plaza, Richmond Road conducted either by Raghavan himself or by his hand-picked teachers. For the two-and-a-half hours long weekly class, one has to pay ₹600. KPP offers a basic spoken Kannada course which runs for the duration of three months; basic script learning (to read and write) and higher Kannada classes to write exams. “We also conduct classes in the campuses of various IT companies, MNCs, government institutions for government employees (transferred from other states), nursing staff in hospitals. These classes go on according to their needs and time schedules but what doesn’t stop are my Sunday classes. Ever since I began them, I have held them in and around MG Road so that it remains accessible. Anybody can come and join.”
Raghavan vouches for the quality of teaching. The remuneration paid to the teachers is only able to cover their conveyance charges. “₹600 is a nominal amount. It also includes a cup of tea and coffee. In my other classes held for software engineers, I take anything they want to give. There is no fixed amount. So one month, we get decent amount of money and next, we don't have much. The teachers come purely for the love of Kannada so the quality of teaching is very good. In any case you are dealing with a language so it has to be of a certain level. Believe me personal touch is always better than learning online.”
The senior Kannada teacher also has health issues but once he is amongst the students, everything takes a backseat. “It is therapeutic for me too. Some three years ago, I was hit by a car and ever since I have developed issues with my right leg. I can’t stand for long but I forget all my pain when I teach. There are times when I have money so I take a cab or auto, otherwise I travel by bus or metro. Irregular meals have also interfered with my health,” says the affable gentleman a bit reluctantly.
Married to an assistant professor, Raghavan is grateful to his wife for taking care of the house, their two daughters and the extended family so that he can pursue his passion.
Even otherwise, he is quite knowledgeable about Bengaluru's history and geography and is very helpful with information about the little known secrets of the city.
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