Mysore/Mysuru: Tributes poured in for Sudharma Sanskrit Daily Managing Editor K.V. Sampath Kumar, who passed away recently,  at a  condolence meeting organised at Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) Office  here yesterday.

Sanskrit Scholar H.V. Nagaraja Rao said that though  there were many Sanskrit scholars in the country, no one had the courage to publish a Sanskrit daily just as Sampath Kumar did. 

Maintaining that Sudharma daily is credited with popularising Sanskrit language, which was hitherto restricted to just temples, weddings and such other functions, he recalled that Varadaraja Iyengar released the copy of the first Sanskrit daily Sudharma at Maharaja Sanskrit Pathashala in Mysuru on July 15,1970. Later after the death of Varadaraja Iyengar, his son Sampath Kumar took over the running of the newspaper and ensured that the newspaper did not stop for any reason.

Observing that Sudharma daily triggered AIR to broadcast Sanskrit news everyday in the morning, Nagaraja Rao said that Sampath Kumar, along with his wife Jayalakshmi were steadfast in running the newspaper despite having less circulation and subscribers, for the promotion and cause of Sanskrit.

Contending that Sampath Kumar and his wife never made any representation to any one  seeking awards or prizes, he said that the coveted Padma Shri award announced by the Prime Minister, itself speaks volumes about the couple’s humbleness and simplicity.

MDJA President S.T. Ravikumar, Press Photographers Association President Pragathi Gopalakrishna, senior journalist M.T. Jayaram, K. Deepak and others too spoke.

MDJA office-bearers M.S. Basavanna, M. Subramanya, Rangaswamy, Nagesh Panathale, K.J. Lokesh Babu, Bannur K. Raju and others were present.