Parameshwara Bhatta’s book collection donated to university

As Kannada song “preethiya kare keli athmana moure keli nee bandu neenilli deepa hachha…” resonated the Mangala auditorium at Mangalore University on Tuesday, it made one nostalgic about its author poet late S.V. Parameshwara Bhatta who founded the post-graduate Department of Kannada more than four decades ago.

Various collections in the possession of the late poet as handed over by his family members to the university, and a series of programmes on Kannada and culture was launched by the department.

As Mr. Bhatta was the founder of the department, the university decided to call it S.V. Parameshwara Bhatta Institute of Kannada Studies last year.

Seven volumes of Kannada Vishwa Kosha published by the University of Mysore and four volumes of Ferdinad Kittel’s dictionary published by the University of Madras were among the books donated to the university. S.P. Ramachandra, son of late Mr. Bhatta, donated the books on behalf of the family.

He said his father served as the head of the department from 1968 till his retirement in 1975. Among the books donated was a Kannada-English dictionary published by the University of Mysore, four books written by Kuvempu, Ranga Binnaha written by S.V. Ranganna and Govinda Pai Samshodhana Samputa.

Mr. Ramachandra also donated about 18 felicitation citations of different organisations, and award certificates to the university.He said the family decided to donate them after much discussion on whether the coming generations of the family would give importance to their preservation. The university could preserve them well for future generation.

Vice-Chancellor K. Byrappa assured the family of preserving all the materials donated. He said the university would display them like in a museum for all to see and the books would be put to use.

Poet K.S. Nisar Ahmed launched the series of programmes planned by the institute. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ahmed attributed popularity of his poems as equal to the singer late Mysuru Ananthaswamy.

Cultural programmes by students of Alva’s College, Moodbidri and songs sung by students of the university campus stole the show.