Mysore/Mysuru: Asserting that it was the Ganga rulers who laid the foundation for Kannada literature, veteran writer Dr. C.P. Krishnakumar (CPK) said that Raja Durvineetha was the first poet of Kannada.

He was speaking after releasing the English edition of MMC&RI faculty Dr. B.N. Raveesh’s work titled ‘Samrat Sripurusha’ at a programme organised by Sripurusha Samskrutika Samithi (Sripurusha Cultural Forum) marking the third Sripurushotsava, at Rani Bahadur Auditorium here on Sunday.

Pointing out that Durvineetha’s prose and poetry written in Sanskrit and Kannada has not yet come to light, CPK said that collection of documents should be done. Bemoaning that historians and writers had limited themselves to writing biographies and autobiographies, he stressed on the need for expanding the horizons of language history through more research.

Historian Dr. Talakadu Chikkarangegowda, who delivered a talk on Sripurusha, said that Sripurusha’s era during the Ganga rulers was a golden one, during which the kingdom  got expanded till Tamil Nadu. Sripurusha had formed a 25-member team to monitor farm  activities and irrigation network, he said adding that this paved the way for an agricultural boom.

Maintaining that Sripurusha ruled the kingdom for 62 years, he said that the ruler’s memorial is found at Mudukuthore. It is necessary to renovate this memorial for posterity, he added.

MLC C.N. Manjegowda wanted publication of more books on Vokkaliga community and the history of rulers belonging to the community. Underlining the need for the installation of a statue of Sripurusha, the MLC announced that he would give Rs.10 lakh for the statue. If  necessary, he  will also make efforts to get a CA site from MUDA to conduct cultural activities, he added.

University of Mysore Syndicate member Dr. E.C. Ningarajegowda, Sweden’s Karolinksa Institute faculty Dr. Tom Palmisterein, Psychologist Dr. Peter Lepping and others were present.