In a novel initiative, Kannada Development Authority (KDA) is bringing all Dravidian languages on one platform at the Dravida Bhasha Sammelana to be held in November. KDA has held a preliminary meeting to discuss the modalities of the event.
“This convention will help in building awareness on the politics of cultural unification,” said S.G. Siddaramaiah, Chairman, KDA. The next meeting is scheduled on September 10 and vice chancellors of all language universities and academies in all the southern States are expect to attend. “The tentative plan is to hold the event on November 25,” he said.
The idea of holding such an event is being viewed as a strategy of the south Indian States to counter the ‘Hindi and Hindutva’ agenda of the NDA government with an eye on the coming Lok Sabha polls. However, Dr. Siddaramaiah refuted the interpretation of the convention as a ‘North v/s South’ initiative.
“It is a move towards strengthening the federal structure. The convention aims to unite the Dravidian languages in all their inclusiveness,” he said, adding that the focus will also be on the state of regional languages.
Those who attended the first meeting included Dr. Meenakshi Sundaram, president, All India Tamil Sangham; Dr. Radhakrishnaraju, president of Karnataka Telugu Academy; Kannada University Vice Chancellor Dr. Mallika Ghanti, and former president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat Chandrashekara Patil.