Need for protecting regional languages stressed

Mysore, Feb 10(UNI) Noted Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee G S Shivarudrappa emphasised the need for protecting the regional languages.

Delivering the 88th Annual Convocation Address of the University of Mysore here yesterday, he said universities in the country had been neglecting the culture and regional languages. The responsibility to upheld the importance of the regional languages lay with the administrators and academic experts.

He regretted that even after 50 years of the formation of Karnataka state, the Kannada language had no perfect language policy. There was an urgent need to safeguard Kannada, he said.

Mr Shivarudrappa alleged that after globalisation, agriculture was very badly affected, leading to increased number of farmers' suicides.

Since the last seven years, nearly 30,000 farmers had committed suicide in the country and rampant corruption had added fuel to the sufferings of common man.

Renowned agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and veteran journalist P Balaram were honoured with Honorary Doctorates and L Basavaraju, a retired Kannada Professor, and noted carnatic vocalist Balamuralikrishna were honoured with DLit.

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