Writer Siddaramaiah says he endorses criticism that Old Mysuru grabs all the awards discriminating against North Karnataka writers

Writer S.G. Siddaramaiah, among other dignitaries, releasing literary works at V.G. Women’s College in Kalaburagi on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Endorsing the criticisms that are often made by writers and cultural activists from North Karnataka, especially Kalyana Karnataka region, about them being discriminated against in recognition of services and selection for awards, writer and the former chairman of Kannada Development Authority S.G. Siddaramaiah has said that civil society organisations and the authorities under the government must ensure that there is fair recognition and representation from all regions while selecting individuals for awards.

“Many people in North Karnataka, especially from Kalyana Karnataka region, feel that most of the awards are grabbed by people of the Old Mysuru region. It is true and I endorse the criticisms. The award-giving authorities, especially those that function under the government such as various academies, must be fair in selection of writers and people from other cultural fields for awards. They should keep in mind Akhanda Karnataka [united Karnataka] and regional imbalances in terms of development while making their choices. They should ensure that people from all regions in the State are recognised and selected for awards,” he said.

He was addressing an indoor meeting after releasing 10 books at V.G. Women’s College in Kalaburagi on Sunday. The event was organised by Kannada Nadu Writers and Readers Cooperative Society.

Delving deep into the developments that led to the establishment of Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that Writers Guild in Kerala influenced the then Chief Minister M. Veerappa Moily to establish a similar institution with extended scope in the State.

“Writers Guild was like a cooperative of writers and readers in Kerala that was aimed at publishing literary works and selling them directly to readers at the most affordable costs. Mr. Moily, upon his visit to Kerala, came across the guild, its functions and the contributions it was making to society. He came back to Karnataka and formed Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara [Kannada Book Authority] with a wider scope,” he said.

“The authority ensured that it was not a competitor to the existing book publishers but a contributor to the development of the book reading culture. The authority, right from the beginning, strived to expand its scope beyond just publishing books to help develop reading habit among the people and connect readers with writers,” he said.

Terming India as a land of pluralism where people from multiple cultural identities cohabit peacefully, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that only such social institutions that internalise and uphold the essence of pluralism can long last.

“Only those social outfits that can cherish pluralism both in words and deeds can sustain in representing real Indian society. If they deviate from pluralism, they will end up in merely being caste or community organisations. They can no longer represent pluralistic Indian society,” he said.

Speaking on the authenticity of autobiographies, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that autobiographies must be tools not for self-glorification but for self-criticism.

“Autobiographies that are used as self-glorification obliviously don’t reflect reality. They are dedicated to the glorification of the author at the cost of reality. However, those autobiographies that are used as tools of self-criticism reflect objectivity. They are not just the stories of authors but historical accounts of their community and environment around them,” he said.

Karnataka State Open University Vice-Chancellor Sharanappa Halase, Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardhak Sangha secretary Basavaraj Deshmukh, writers Apparao Akkone and Swamirao Kulkarni, V.G. Women’s College principal Rajendra Konda and others were present.