Mysuru: Rich tributes were paid to poet laureate ‘Rashtrakavi’ Kuempu on his 116th birth anniversary this morning in city.

At Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies(KIKS)

Prof. Basavaraj Kalgudi, a retired professor of Kannada from Bengaluru inaugurated the event by offering floral tributes to the portrait of Kuvempu and garlanding the bust of Kuvempu in KIKS Campus at Manasagangotri.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof.Kalgudi said that Kuvempu’s philosophy of ‘Manavadharma’ is very much relevant today. Pointing out that the poet laureate’s Vishwamanava message earned him worldwide recognition, he said that Kuvempu very much deserved the Nobel Prize for his writings. Prof.Kalgudi felt that had Kuvempu’s works been translated to English then, Kuvempu would have certainly got the coveted Nobel Prize.

A seminar on ‘A study on Kuvempu’s thoughts’ was organised, marking the event.

University of Mysore(UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof.G.Hemanth Kumar, KIKS Director Prof.N.M.Talwar, faculty Prof.Nanjaiah Honganur, former faculty Prof.N. Boralingaiah and others were present on the occasion.

At Manasagangothri

Kuvempu’s Statue at the entrance to Manasagangothri from Bogadi road side was garlanded, marking his birth anniversary, at a programme organised by University of Mysore Vishwamanava Naukarara Vedike.UoM VC Prof.G.Hemanth Kumar, Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa, Registrar (Evaluation)                                                    Prof.Mahadevan,Horticulture officer Mujawar, the Vedike president Vasudeva and others were present.

At Kuvempu Park

Garlanding of Kuvempu’s Statue at Kuvempu Park near Gun House marked the celebration organised by District Kannada Sahitya Parishat. Deputy Mayor Shafi Ahmed, Corporator B.V. Manjunath, District Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Y.D.Rajanna,former MLA M.K.Somasekhar,former MP R.Dhruvanarayan and others were present.

Official celebration cancelled

However, the official celebration organised by the District administration and Kannada and Culture Department at Kalamandira, was cancelled due to the three-day mourning announced the State Government following the demise of Pejawar Mutt Seer Sri Vishwesha Teertha Swamiji this morning.