Kannada Sahitya Sammelan in Udupi from Oct 24

Udupi, Apr 11 (UNI) The four-day 74th Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelan (All India Kannada Literary Conference) will be held here from October 24.

Briefing newspersons about the first preliminary reception committee meeting held here today, Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) President Dr Chandrasekhar Patil clarified that the dates would not be changed whatever might be the political situation in the State.

He said the tradition of inviting the Chief Minister for inaugurating the sammelan was broken last year as per a KSP decision and Rashtra Kavi Dr G S Shivarudrappa had inaugurated it in Shimoga.

He hinted that the inauguration of this edition of the sammelan would be done by a national non-Kannada writer. The Chief Minister would be invited to deliver the valedictory address on October 27.

Dr Patil said a final decision on the selection of the President of the Sammelan would be taken at the central executive committee meeting of the KSP after receiving suggestions from various organisations and the host district unit of KSP. However, the president would be chosen on the basis of seniority and contributions made to Kannada literature and culture.

He said a 500-member committee had been formed for the success of the Sammelan, including 35 prominent members reception committee, 101 renowned senior writers and prominent persons from Karnataka as honorary advisors, 20 secretaries and 50 joint secretaries.

He thanked Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for allocating Rs one crore for the event.

UNI