It is a rare occasion indeed when the birthday of a Kannada poet is celebrated in Kerala. Badiyadkka in Kasaragod district, Kerala, saw poet and freedom fighter Kayyara Kinhanna Rai celebrating his 100th birthday on Monday.
In a function organised on the occasion near his home ‘Kavitha Kuteera’ at Badiyadkka, demands were raised for conferring the Karnataka Ratna Award on the poet.
Speaking on the occasion, Kayyara recalled his days as a freedom fighter and the days spent in jail. Though he was offered a government job, he preferred not to join it and instead became an agriculturist and a teacher. “Sanskrit is the language of the country, Kannada is our language, and many Tulu-speaking people are pure Kannadigas,” the poet said.
He went on to say that he was happy to be amid Kannada-speaking people when entering his 101st year.
Speaking to the media, Minister of Forests, Environment and Ecology B. Ramanath Rai said the government would examine the proposal to confer the Bharat Ratna on the centenarian poet.
Mahin K., president, standing committee on development, Badiyadkka panchayat, said the panchayat would open a library named after the poet, next month.
Payaswini and Springs , English translations of his poems, and Atma Nivedan , the Hindi translation, were released on the occasion.
