Delay by the Centre in according autonomous status for the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK), functioning from the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysuru, has affected studies related to classical Kannada. What’s more, Rs. 6 crore earmarked for the purpose in 2011 has remained unutilised as the CESCK does not have autonomous status, said L. Hanumanthaiah, chairperson of the Kannada Development Authority.
In contrast, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), an autonomous body established by the Tamil Nadu government, has been receiving Rs. 10 crore a year. “The CICT received over Rs. 70 crore in the last seven years,” he said.
“I am taking a delegation of litterateurs and scholars to New Delhi on April 25 to pressure the Ministry of Human Resource Development to sanction funds for constructing a building for the classical Kannada centre,” Dr. Hanumanthaiah said.
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After inaugurating the Centre for Excellence in 2011, the then Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda had promised to make all efforts to get autonomous status. But, this yet to happen, said Dr. Hanumanthaiah.
The delay in appointment of a project director for the CESCK is also being attributed for the funds not being released by the Centre. Though H.M. Maheshwaraiah was appointed as the project director on April 1, 2014, he quit the post in just 17 days as he was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi.
P.K. Khandoba of Gulbarga University, who was appointed as the director two months ago, hastened the process of getting autonomy and chalked out programmes on the study of classical Kannada. He visited the CIST in Chennai to understand its functioning. “Applications have been invited for the posts of senior fellows, associate fellows, stenographers and office assistants,” he said.
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An expert committee of scholars T.V. Venkatachala Shastry and N.S. Taranath will select the classical texts to be studied. “We need at least Rs. 3 crore for taking up 45 programmes that have been planned. But, we are getting a meagre allocation of Rs. 1crore, which will be sufficient to meet only administrative expenses,” he said.
Nine volumes on the edicts on classical Kannada are ready for printing and we need a minimum of Rs. 25 lakh to print them, but we don’t have funds.
P.K. Khandoba,
Project director,
Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada