Reduce screen time, play outdoors, connect with pets: Dr. Sudha Murty

Mysore/Mysuru: The Eighth Edition of the Mysuru Children’s Literature Festival was hosted by the Mysuru Literary Forum and Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs-2015, at Hotel Southern Star in city yesterday.  As the guest, former Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, Sudha Murty graced the stage alongside her pet dog ‘Gopi,’ who has inspired her to create a character in her book- ‘The Gopi Diaries.’

Sudha Murty was accompanied by Shubha Sanjay Urs, Founder, Managing Trustee and Chairperson of the Mysuru Book Clubs-2015 and Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust. 

Gopi’s presence on stage along with Sudha Murty sitting on the dais floor had the audience spellbound, as she shared valuable life lessons.

A host of reading, creative events

The festival unfolded on three platforms concurrently, introduction to storytelling, introduction to literature and introductions through verses to nurture children’s personalities through story telling.

Ventriloquist and magician Suma Rajkumar, renowned for ‘Mathanaduva Bombe,’ mesmerised the audience with her talking doll and magic.

Contributions from K. Seema Karanth and Dr. Deepika Ponnappa featured stories that fostered new ideas and sparked scientific curiosity among the young minds.

Singer Suraj Rao Pawar’s guitar melodies, dance lessons by Roopa Shivaprakash and skill development activities led by Anna Cherian enhanced children’s learning interests. The final session, led by Sudha Murty, initiated a mission to instil a love for literature among the children, concluding the festival on a heart-warming note.

Reduce screen, see green

Sudha Murty speaking at the event suggested that children, reduce screen time, engage in outdoor activities and cultivate connections with pet animals.

As an advocate for language learning, Sudha Murty encouraged children to learn English while stressing the importance of not neglecting their native language, Kannada.

She asserted that Kannada should be considered an integral part of their identity, challenging the perception of it as a secondary language.

Addressing the intricate link between language and culture, Sudha Murty urged children to embrace their cultural heritage. She believes that learning the language is pivotal for preserving one’s roots, drawing a parallel between individuals neglecting their native language and culture to trees without a strong foundation.

While introducing Gopi, Sudha Murty shared how he, Gopi, became a cherished member of her family.

Gopi, she said was originally her son Rohan Murty’s pet dog. “When Rohan moved to London during Covid-19, Gopi was left with me, that temporary stay has now become permanent,” she said. 

Gopi has inspired Sudha Murty to write a series called ‘The Gopi Diaries’ and Sudha Murty revealed that the fourth instalment in the series is set to be released later this year.