The 82nd edition of Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahithya Sammelan, a three-day event that successfully concluded in Raichur on Sunday, is memorable for more than one reason.
Firstly, despite huge crowd, the organisers managed the crowd well, causing little inconvenience. The organisers, with their experience of previous Sammelanas, expected around 7,000 delegates and around 30,000 general public each day and accordingly made food and other arrangements. To their surprise, the event attracted around 1.25 lakh crowd on the first day and between 80,000 and 1,00,000 on last two days. The organisers somehow managed to provide food for almost all of them and avoided possible chaos at food court. Police personnel worked day and night to manage huge crowd, traffic and security issues.
“It was one of the best Kannada Sahithya Sammelans, with well managed food section despite unexpected crowd turnout,” B Rajendra, a national award winner teacher from Shivamogga opined. He has attended at least 10 Sammelanas in the past.
Another aspect of the event was people with different linguistic backgrounds coming together and playing crucial roles in making the Kannada literary event a great success. Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil, who led the Reception Committee, the organising body, and its 33 sub-committees involved in organising the event, was a Tamil. Superintendent of Police Chetan Singh Rathor, who, with his around 2,000 police force, maintained law and order, controlled traffic and ensured safety of VIPs and other guests during the event, was a Hindi speaker from Uttar Pradesh. Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer M. Kurma Rao who supervised many sub-committees involved in organising the event was a Telugu. N.S. Boseraju, MLA and working president of the event, who played crucial role in the event, was also a Telugu.
“Deputy Commissioner of the respective district would be the chief convenor of Sahithya Sammelana held there. Mr. Senthil, however, made a difference. For the first time in my long experience I have seen a non-Kanadadiga Deputy Commissioner passionately involving himself and relentlessly working day and night to make the Kannada Sammelana a great success,” Mahantesh Maski, a writer and Sahithya Parishat functionary told The Hindu .
Besides, many other non-Kannadigas too were involved at various level. S.R. Reddy, MLA of Narayanpet in Telangana, and Vishnukantha Budada, who jointly provided food for delegates, were from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan respectively.
The huge venues, book stalls, food court, exhibition centres and other temporary structures for the Sammelan were built by Tamils. The food for lakhs of public was prepared by a team of Gujaratis led by Babulal Jain, a Pakistani refugee. Besides, many Rajastani speaking Marwadis and Urdu speaking Muslims sponsored and served water, cool drinks, butter milk, snacks and other refreshment to artists and general public during the 6-kms colourful procession on the first day.
Mr. Senthil will be leaving Raichur with fond memories and satisfaction to Bengaluru to serve in the Department of Mines & geology. His transfer order, issued a month ago, was withheld till the completion of Sammelan.
