Central University celebrates Rajyotsava with special lecture on unification movement

The Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, celebrated the 71st Rajyotsava by organising a special lecture on “The Path to the Unification of Karnataka” at the university auditorium here on Monday.

Delivering the special lecture, Head of the Department of History and Archaeology Venkatarao M. Palate said that the formation of Karnataka is the outcome of a prolonged struggle marked by sacrifices, dedication and sustained efforts by numerous activists, organisations, Kannada language advocates, litterateurs and political leaders.

Tracing the history of the unification movement, he said that before Independence, Kannada-speaking regions lay scattered across the princely State of Mysore and the Bombay, Madras and Hyderabad provinces.

The administrative languages of these regions differed from the languages spoken by the people, creating a strong need for the integration of Kannada-speaking areas, he added.

He recalled the contributions of prominent personalities, including Aluru Venkatarao, Huilagol Narayanarao, Hardekar Manjappa, Siddappa Kambli and R.H. Deshpande, to the unification movement.

“The establishment of the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Dharwad in 1890, the formation of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat in 1915 and the demand for the unification of Kannada-speaking regions at the 1924 Indian National Congress session in Belagavi are among the important milestones in the movement,” he said.

Emphasising the need to preserve Kannada, Prof. Palate said that society has a collective responsibility to pass on the language, literature and cultural heritage to future generations.

He called for greater emphasis on education in mother tongue, research, literary activities and the dissemination of knowledge in Kannada.

Presiding over the programme, Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana said that remembering the history of Karnataka’s unification should go hand-in-hand with efforts to preserve and promote Kannada language, literature and culture.

“Protecting the State’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage is the collective responsibility of every individual,” he added.

Referring to the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission headed by Fazl Ali, he said that the reorganisation of States on linguistic and regional lines has paved the way for the integration of Kannada-speaking regions.

He also stressed the importance of imparting education in mother tongue, observing that it enables students to understand subjects better and acquire knowledge across disciplines, including higher education and information technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Registrar R.R. Biradar stressed the need to address regional disparities through the effective implementation of the recommendations of the Nanjundappa Report and the Govinda Rao Committee.

Faculty members Ganapati B. Sinnur, Panduranga V. Patti, Safiya Parveen Basavaraja Donur, Channaveera R.M., Vikrama Visaji, G.R. Angadi, N. Satyanarayana, Basavaraja M. Kubakaddi, Shivaganga Rumma, Mohammad Zoher, Vijayakumar, Devarajappa and Jayavel participated in the programme.