Scholar B.A. Vivek Rai on Friday asked youths to study the annals of the rich social fabric of Dakshina Kannada and keep away from spreading hatred on the basis of religion, caste and political affiliations.
Speaking after inaugurating the three-day 24th Dakshina Kannada District Sahitya Sammelana, Mr. Rai, formerly Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, and Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), said that Dakshina Kannada, with multiple languages, dialects, religions, castes and creed, had the unique tradition of maintaining peaceful co-existence. It was intact, rich and mutually respectable.
The youth of these days cannot brush aside this fact but understand that they are going to lead life in the same land and face the future.
“The district is yours and you are going to live here. Social media should not be used to divide society and spread hostility,” Mr. Rai said.
Stressing on the rich heritage of unity in diversity factor of Dakshina Kannada, the writer said that politics should become only a part of life and not life in itself.
He asked young writers to revive children’s literature in Dakshina Kannada which had made a significant contribution to it. Writers Panje Mangesh Rao, M.N. Kamath and Palakala Seetharam Bhat were among those who had nurtured children’s literature in the district.
“Children’s literature should be promoted as a movement,” Mr. Rai said.
The former Vice-Chancellor suggested to the writers to launch a publishing house in the district on the cooperative model, as in Kerala. All writers can contribute to float the publishing house by registering it under the Cooperative Societies Act, he said.
Dakshina Kannada had the tradition of having Kannada pandits, he said and added that scholars should come forward to study ancient kavyas.
President of Dakshina Kannada Sahitya Parishat S. Pradeep Kumar Kalkura made the introductory remark.
Bishop of Mangaluru Peter Paul Saldanha, seer of Moodbidri Jain Mutt Charukeerti Bhattaraka Panditacharyavarya, the former Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Harikrishna Punaroor, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank M.S. Mahabaleshwar Bhat and president of Tulunadu Education Trust M.B. Puranik were among those who were present.