• Gopalagowda was a Statesman-Politican, says former Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. Chidananda Gowda
• Ex-MLA and veteran Socialist Konandur Lingappa feted

Mysore/Mysuru: Former Kuvempu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. Chidananda Gowda said  that renowned  Socialist Shanthaveri Gopalagowda was not just a politician but  also a Statesman of his times.

He was speaking after inaugurating Shanthaveri Gopalagowda Birth Centenary celebrations organised jointly by Nataraja Prathishtana, Kannada Sahitya Parishat and Kannada Sahitya Kalakoota at Nataraja Sabha Bhavan here on Wednesday.

Maintaining that there are two types of politicians — one general (Rajakarini) and the other ‘Rashtrakarini’, Prof. Chidananda Gowda said that while a general politician will only think about the next election, a ‘Rashtrakarini’ will  think about the country as a whole and the next generation.

Gopalagowda was a ‘Rashtra-karini’ in the true sense, he said adding that the Socialist  leader always advocated value-based politics.

Recalling that Gopalagowda took exception to the  inscription  at the entrance of Vidhana Soudha which read ‘Sarkari Kelasa Devara Kelasa’ (meaning Government’s work is God’s work) when Kengal Hanumanthaiah was the Chief Minister, he said that Gopalagowda wanted the script to read as ‘Sarkari Kelasa Srisamanyanara Kelasa’ (meaning Government’s work is Common man’s work). Though he died at 49 years of age, he has left behind an indelible legacy, which should be followed by current crop of politicians as a leading light, he said.

Former MLA and veteran Socialist Konandur Lingappa said that the Kannada movement was first launched in Mysuru  in the 1950s, when English nameboards on establishments were removed and replaced with Kannada ones. Recalling that Gopalagowda along with himself (Lingappa), K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi, Kadidal Shamanna, Sundaresh, Aithal and others established ‘Kannada Yuvajana Sabha’ for the cause of Kannada, he said that this movement extended to the entire State subsequently.

He further said that Poet Laureate Kuvempu had paid for printing of pamphlets that advocated mother-tongue (Kannada) as the medium of instruction in primary education. Kuvempu was behind all the activities of the Yuvajana Sabha, he added.

Konandur Lingappa was felicitated on the occasion.

Earlier, floral tributes were offered to the portrait of Shanthaveri Gopalagowda.

Hosamutt Seer Sri Chidananda Swamiji graced the occasion. Sri Nataraja Prathishtana Special Officer Dr. S. Shivarajappa presided. District Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Maddikere Gopal, Kannada Sahitya Kalakoota President M. Chandrashekar, Shanthaveri Gopalagowda Samajwadi Prathishtana Secretary Rammanohar Shanthaveri, District Sharana Sahitya Parishat President Dr. Helavarahundi Siddappa, K.S. Shivaramu and others were present.