Eminent Kannada software expert K.P. Rao (Kinnikambala Padmanabha Rao) was felicitated by the Udupi District and Taluk Kannada Sahitya Parishat for his immense contribution to the development of Kannada software on Sunday, August 6, in Udupi.
Delivering the felicitation address at a programme organised by Nadoja K.P. Rao Felicitation Committee, noted writer and poet Jayanth Kaikini said that preoccupation without thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness without preoccupation were of little use. Viewed from this background, Mr. Rao has been the epitome of culmination of scholarliness and dedication, he said.
Mr. Kaikini noted that Mr. Rao used to learn textbook lessons by-heart in Yakshagana style while in classes 7 and 8 and return the textbooks to friends or the school. His life had not been a tele-serial monologue, but Mr. Rao evinced keen interest in music, cinema, science and many other fields. “He had five computers in his bedroom while many of us were yet to hear the word ‘computer,’ and used to dismantle every part of the machine and reassembly them. Mr. Rao thus had the habit of analysing every issue with curiosity,” Mr. Kaikini said.
In his response, Mr. Rao said both the almighty and the language were invisible to naked eyes; yet they have the power to take everyone together. The animal word learns the language from mother at first. Language empowers everyone to understand each other and encompasses the masses.
A.V. Baliga Hospital Director P.V. Bhandary inaugurated the programme in the presence of MGM College Principal Lakshminarayana Karantha, Moodbidri Jain Mutt seer Swastishree Bhattaraka Charukeerthi Panditacharyavarya Swamiji, Parishat District president Neelavara Surendra Adiga and others.
The programme was followed by workshops on different subjects and culminated with a dialogue with Mr. Rao.
Felicitation Committee honourary president Jayakara Shetty Indrali, president Vishwanath Shenoy, writer Muralidhara Upadhya Hiriyadka, Rashtra Kavi Manjeshwara Govinda Pai Regional Research Centre administrative officer Jagadish Shetty, Parishat Taluk President H.P. Raviraj, teacher and Yakshagana patron Murali Kadekar and others were present.
