Veteran journalist Patil Puttappa inaugurated the 10-day Nada Habba celebrations here on Saturday.
The annual cultural festival is being organised to keep alive the rich cultural tradition of the land and expose them to the younger generation.
Paying rich tributes to those who are continuing to organise the the cultural festival, Mr. Puttappa reminded the gathering that the Nada Habba was first organised by writer Betageri Krishna Sharma and Rudrapur Desai in 1926. This was also the maiden Nada Habba of the entire north Karnataka in Belagavi.
The nonagenarian thinker became nostalgic and recalled anecdotes and instances related to developments he was witness to and associated with, including those from freedom struggle and reorganisation of States, formation of the State of Karnataka, besides movements for the development of Kannada in boundary areas of north Karnataka.
Earlier, Nada Habba Utsav Committee president H.B. Rajashakher urged the government to provide funds to organise the festival at least from next year. Committee secretary C.K. Jorapur and Siddharam Swami of Naganur Mutt were present. The inaugural function was followed by cultural programmes.
