State Government urged to publish complete works of the late writer

Mysore/Mysuru: Three literary awards being given in the name Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma who wrote under the pen name ‘Anandakanda’ were conferred on Sunday in city at B.M. Shri auditorium in Manasagangothri. The awards were presented at a function organised jointly by Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma Trust, Belagavi and Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies (KIKS).

Critic and Research Scholar Dr. C.N. Ramachandran was conferred with Research Award, senior Folklore Scholar Dr. N.R. Nayaka was presented with Folklore Award and veteran Journalist Dr. Padmaraja Dandavathi was conferred with Journalist Award.

Senior Research Scholar Dr. Hampa Nagarajaiah, who presented the awards, said that there were many giants in the literary world during the 20th century with each one talented than the other. “Among such great men, Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma did great work and his writings have become study books of Kannada literature,” he added.

“When I was the Kannada Sahitya Parishat President, the Parishat had decided to chose Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma as the President of Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, but it was not possible because of his bad health. In view of his unique contributions to Kannada literature, it was felt that he didn’t get due recognition matching with his stature. In 1979, Kannada Sahitya Parishat members went to his residence and felicitated him. Though he couldn’t speak, he expressed his happiness through tears of joy,” recalled Dr. Nagaraiah.

Trust President Prof. Raghavendra Patil, who too spoke, described Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma as the most important person of North Karnataka’s cultural and literary world and added that the Trust is working towards taking his ideals and literature to the people of Karnataka.

The State Government has provided Rs. 65 lakh grants to publish all the literary works of Basavaraja Kattimani even though the publisher has the patent to publish the works. But the Department of Kannada and Culture has not come forward yet to publish the works of Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma thereby doing injustice to the great writer, he regretted.

Prof. Raghavendra demanded that State Kannada and Culture Department should come forward to publish the literary works of Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma. “I don’t force the Government to publish them through our Trust. There are many organisations associated with the Department of Kannada and Culture and the books should be published by any one of these organisations. We only demand the publishing of all the works of Dr. Betageri Krishnasharma,” he added.

Kannada Sahitya Parishat former President Dr. Manu Baligar, who spoke on the occasion, said: “Among the 14 Government Trusts in the State, eight were formed during my tenure and Dr. Krishnashama’s Trust is one among them. Arrangements were made so that each Trust gets a financial assistance of Rs. 12 lakh every year which is now slashed to Rs. 4-5 lakh because of COVID-19”  and advised Prof. Raghavendra Patil to submit a memorandum to the Government seeking more grants to publish the works of Dr. Betageri and assured his co-operation.

KIKS Director Dr. M.G. Manjunath inaugurated the event. Sr. Research Scholar Nadoja Dr. Kamala Hampana, Mysore Varsity Syndicate Member Dr. E.C. Ningaraja Gowda were present.