Kuvempu Vishwamanava Welfare Trust fetes former PM

Mysore/Mysuru: Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda (HDD) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting that the late poet laureate Kuvempu be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

In his letter, Deve Gowda highlighted Kuvempu’s stature as a great poet, philosopher and thinker who enriched lives through his intellect and made immense contributions to the Kannada language, literature and culture.

He noted that Kannada literature, once described as a small stream, grew into a mighty river due to Kuvempu’s monumental contributions.

Deve Gowda observed that had Kuvempu’s works been translated into English and other European languages during his lifetime, he might have been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. However, Kuvempu never sought fame or recognition and resisted publicity, which limited such opportunities.

Referring to Kuvempu’s magnum opus ‘Ramayana Darshanam’ and other works, Deve Gowda emphasised that the poet’s philosophy remains vital and decisive for the modern world, which faces many challenges threatening humanity.

He pointed out that Kuvempu’s concepts, such as ‘Pancha Mantra’, ‘Sapta Sutra’ and ‘Vishwamanava Pragnya’ offer universal solutions, guiding humanity toward peace and harmony.

He further stressed the importance of seriously reflecting upon and implementing Kuvempu’s ‘Sarvodaya Sutra,’ which could help build an egalitarian society and serve as a model for                          other nations.

Deve Gowda reminded that the Karnataka Government has already recommended Bharat Ratna for Kuvempu.

He urged that the award be conferred posthumously to immortalise the poet’s legacy in the interest of humanity and contemporary society.

He also enclosed a petition from the Mysuru-based Kuvempu Vishwamanava Welfare Trust, supporting the demand.