Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Credit: PTI File Photo
The three-day 87th All-India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana will be
held in Mandya from December 20 to 22, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Tuesday.
Mandya will host the premier literary event for the third time, but after a gap of three decades. The first Sammelana was held in Mandya in the year 1974 and again in 1994.
After having a preliminary meeting with the representatives of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Department of Kannada and Culture and Mandya district authorities, Siddaramaiah announced the dates.
Sammelana was scheduled to be held in the month of June, but due to Model Code of Conduct which was in place for Lok Sabha polls the same got postponed.
The chief minister requested all Kannadigas from across the world to take part in the event.
“Kannadigas residing outside the state and country are expected to take part in Sammelana this time. I will also request people to participate,” said Siddaramaiah.
The chief minister said that the government will finalise the president of Sammelana once it receives the shortlisted names of litterateurs from the Parishat.
As the Sammelana is being organised during Christmas vacation, the Parishat is expecting participation by a large number of Kannadigas.
However, the Parishat has sought Rs 30 crore from the government to organise the Sammelana.
Speaking to DH, Mahesh Joshi, president of the Parishat, said, “We have requested Rs 30 crore from the government. For the Sammelana organised at Haveri, the government had provided an assistance of Rs 25 crore. As we are expecting more visitors this time, we need Rs 30 crore to make arrangements.”
Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy, political secretaries to CM K Govindaraju and Naseer Ahmed, Department of Kannada and Culture Secretary Ajay Nagabushan and others were present in the meeting.