Writer Na. D’Souza will preside over the 80th Kannada Sahitya Sammelan to be held in Madikeri from January 7.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pundaleeka Halambi said that Mr. D’Souza was chosen unanimously at the central committee meeting of the parishat.
Hailing from Sagar town in Shimoga district, Mr. D’Souza has written over 40 novels, besides short stories, plays and children’s literature. He has compiled a book of Konkani folk tales.
He is the recipient of the Central Sahitya Akademi’s Bala Sahitya Puraskar (children’s literature) for the novel “Mulugadeya Oorige Bandavaru”. He has received several other awards, including the State Sahitya Academy Award and Rajyotsava Award. His novel, “Dweepa”, has been made into an award-winning film by Girish Kasaravalli.
Mr. D’Souza is the third person from a minority community to preside over the sammelan that was first hosted in Bangalore in 1915. The other two were Rev. Uttangi Channappa in 1949 and K.S. Nissar Ahmed in 2006.
Madikeri is hosting the event after 31 years. In 1981, Sham.Ba. Joshi, a scholar and litterateur, had presided over the sammelan.
PreparationsOn the preparations for the three-day sammelan, Mr. Halambi said that the State government had earmarked Rs. 1 crore for the event, but the district unit of the parishat had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and sought an additional grant of Rs. 1 crore.
He said that providing accommodation for people in Madikeri was a challenge. He added that interested people should enrol before December 15.
“We have requested people who have homestays to put aside one room for delegates of the sammelan,” Mr. Halambi said and added, “but it is difficult to provide accommodation for more than 2,000 people.”
The event is being held on the premises of Field Marshal Cariappa College.
