Mysuru: Seventeen years after Kannada was declared a classical language, Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK) in Mysuru is still awaiting autonomy — a delay that has prompted Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar to urge the Union Education Ministry to act swiftly.

In a detailed letter to the Ministry, Yaduveer has called for autonomous status for CESCK, currently functioning under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), along with increased funding and infrastructure support to fully realise its potential in language research, publication and outreach.

“The Centre has a Project Director, 11 academic staff and 8 administrative personnel. Over the years, it has organised several programmes and published important scholarly works. But without autonomy and dedicated facilities, its functioning remains limited,” Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer stated.

Drawing a comparison, the MP noted that Tamil, which was accorded classical status in 2004, received autonomy for its research centre by 2008. Kannada, granted classical status in 2008, remains neglected in this regard.

Yaduveer highlighted that the University of Mysore Syndicate has already earmarked 4 acres and 2 guntas of land near the Pump House (in front of Basavapeetha) for the Centre’s expansion. The Karnataka Government had also issued an order in 2020 for land allocation, but further steps have yet to be taken.

He urged the Central Education Ministry and the Higher Education Department to release funds for constructing a dedicated building and providing world-class facilities to CESCK. “This is not merely about infrastructure; it’s about giving  Kannada the institutional recognition it rightly deserves,” the MP’s letter stated.