Language should unite people: Nisar Ahmed

Traditional honour: Poet Channaveera Kanavi being brought to the venue of Alva’s Nudisiri at www.thehindu.com

Moodbidri near Mangalore on Friday.
MANGALORE: Poet K.S. Nisar Ahmed said on Friday that people using Kannada had the greater responsibility of promoting unity and integrity of the nation through the language in the wake of increasing violence in society.
He was speaking after inaugurating Alva’s Nudisiri, a three-day annual literary festival, at Moodbidri near here.
Referring to Kannada epic Kavirajamarga, he said that it showed what a language should achieve now. On the usage of Kannada in present days, he expressed concern over Sanskritisation and urbanisation of Kannada.
Poet Channavera Kanavi, president of the literary event; Nallur Prasad, president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat; K. Amarnath Shetty, former Minister, and K. Abhayachandra Jain, MLA, were present.Procession
A colourful procession comprising performance by cultural troupes was taken out in the town.
Mr. Kanavi was brought in the procession to the venue. Welcoming the gathering, Mohan Alva, president of Alva’s Education Foundation, expressed his desire to organise Nudisiri in each district of the State. Mr. Prasad pondered over why sahitya sammelans end up as an annual festival without contributing much to the development of the language by discussing the contemporary world and problems.
To discuss the contemporary world and problems, literary meets would be held at zonal levels. Dharwad would be the first to host such a meet, he said.
Mr. Kanavi released “Kannada Manasu - Sahitya Jawabdaari’, a souvenir of Nudisiri 2008, on the occasion.