Mysuru: Kannada Development Authority (KDA) Chairman Dr. Purushotham Bilimale stressed the need for more Parliamentarians to advocate for the cause of Kannada in Parliament.

He was speaking at the Kannada implementation progress review meeting held at Crawford Hall, University of Mysore (UoM), recently.

Dr. Bilimale highlighted that the Union Government has initiated the process of increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats. He pointed out that over 250 Lok Sabha seats are currently in Hindi-speaking States, and this number could rise to 600 after the revision.

“For instance, Uttar Pradesh’s seats may increase from 80 to over 125, while Tamil Nadu could gain an additional 10 seats. Karnataka, which currently has 28 seats, may only receive 6 more based on the current population. Kannadigas must now take pride in spreading the essence of Kannada across the country. Writers, University staff, Kannada activists, women and others should work collectively toward this goal,” he said.

Dr. Bilimale also noted that the Karnataka Government has issued over 3,000 orders directing the implementation of Kannada in all Departments and institutions.

Declining Kodava population

Expressing concern over the declining Kodava population, Dr. Bilimale cited census data showing a drop from 2.60 lakh Kodava speakers in 2001 to 1.60 lakh in 2011.

“This is not just an issue for the Kodava community. Kannada and other Dravidian languages in South India could face similar challenges,” he warned.

UoM’s English logo

KDA Secretary Dr. Santhosh Hangal raised concerns about the University of Mysore continuing to use its English logo, despite being established over a century ago.

UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Loknath responded saying that the logo has been in use since 1916 and appears on millions of mark sheets and certificates issued by the UoM. He argued that changing the logo now could be seen as a blot on the University’s history and pose technical and international challenges.

Opposition to Kannada Sangha

Faculty members of Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies (KIKS) opposed the establishment of a separate Kannada Sangha within the University, arguing that KIKS already serves the interests of Kannada students, faculty and staff.

After hearing the concerns of faculty and staff, Dr. Bilimale directed the University to ensure all advertisements are published exclusively in Kannada and to prioritise Kannadigas in outsourced appointments.

The meeting was attended by KDA Chairman’s Personal Secretary T.S. Phaniraj, KDA Member T. Gururaj, Kannada and Culture Department Assistant Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, UoM Registrar M.K. Savitha, Finance Officer K.S. Rekha and other officials.