Mysore/Mysuru:  In his Bahuroopi 2020 inaugural address, actor and theatre personality Anant Nag recalled how the Mahatma had inspired him when he grew up in Ananda Ashram. His address was listened to by the audience with rapt attention. Every nook and corner of Vanaranga inside Rangayana, including the balcony, was jam-packed with people. 

The audience greeted the actor with love and clapped whenever the actor sprinkled his speech with humour and anecdotes.

Nag recalled the days when he used to spin the charakha daily for an hour at the ashram. Anant Nag had his early schooling in a catholic school in Ajjarkad, Udupi, Ananda Ashram in Dakshina Kannada and Chitrapur Math in Uttara Kannada districts of the erstwhile Mysore State (now Karnataka).

Using the august audience to lay emphasis on safeguarding Kannada and saving Kannada schools from closure, he recited one of the dialogues from his film, ‘Sarkari Hiriya Pratamika Shale Kasaragod’ and received a huge applause. “We don’t shut down ICUs because there are no patients. Likewise, we shouldn’t close down Kannada schools because there are no children. Give education to the child that dreams in his or her mother-tongue,” he appealed.

He said that it was his third visit to Rangayana as he had come here earlier for opening ‘Chinnara Mela’ and another event.

MP Pratap Simha described Anant Nag, who served as Minister in the J.H. Patel Cabinet, as a well-mannered politician and said it was unusual to see such knowledgeable and well-behaved personalities in politics.

In his address, Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi said that it is easy to speak about Gandhi’s principles but difficult to follow them. “Gandhi had followed the path of truth and non-violence all his life,” he noted.

Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa, Rangayana Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Bahuroopi 2020 Convener Hulagappa Kattimani, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa and others were present.