Sudha Murty, writer and philanthropist, here on Saturday, said that she is hardly recognised as a writer in Kannada literary world, while she enjoys that title in English.
In her address as the chairperson of Women’s Literary Convention organised by Kannada Sahitya Parishat, she said that even after bringing out many works in Kannada she had only been recognised as a philanthropist or a chairperson of Infosys Foundation in Karnataka. “But, in English, I have been considered a writer,” she said.
Ms. Murty recalled that she started writing in Kannada when she was 29 and switched over to English at 52. As long as she wrote in Kannada, only those who knew Kannada read her work, but when she brought out her book in English, it was translated into 22 languages. “For me, writing in English is not an easy task. First I write in Kannada and translate the same into English. I feel my thoughts flow freely when I write in Kannada,” she said.
“Women should realise their strength and set goals,” she said. Appreciating Kannada Sahitya Parishat for organising a women’s convention, she suggested that such events should find solutions to women’s problems, apart from discussing them in detail. Parishat chairman Manu Baligar said it organised the first women convention with the objective of discussing problems faced by women and finding solutions and the activity would continue.
The two-day event was inaugurated by K.M. Janaki, Director, Department of Kannada and Culture. Many women writers and intellectuals participated in the seminar. Earlier, a procession was taken out in the city.