Mangaluru: Karnataka Beary Sahitya Academy celebrated the Beary Language Day on October 3. Former higher education minister B A Mohiuddin inaugurated the event which was held at T V Raman Pai hall, in the city.
Addressing the gathering, Sathyanarayana Mallipatna, former principal of University College, Mangaluru said, “Dakshina Kannada district is a region which has people speaking more than one language. There are over 7000 languages in the world, but no one knows the exact number. UNESCO has said that an estimated 2,500 languages are on the verge of extinction, but we cannot agree on everything that UNESCO says.”
“After the academy was formed, the base of beary language has become more stable. Many books have been published, research on literature is been taken up. A language can grow more easily when it gets government support. English has no script of its own, but it has grown and rules the world, and that is because people have made it famous. People are solely responsible for any language to grow. Only by speaking a language can grow. Language is closely associated with culture. Our language and culture need to be protected. It is not what we have benefited but what we preserve for our future generation that is more important. So let us all preserve and protect our language and culture,” he said.
J R Lobo, MLA Mangaluru South said, “Mangaluru has the highest number of academies after Bengaluru. Language is not only a medium of speaking, but there is culture inherent in it. Protecting and promoting our language is very important. We should respect every language, while our language should get little more respect. People of this land fulfill responsibilities given to them in an efficient manner and Beary Academy has done that. I congratulate them on this celebration.”
Ramanath Rai, District-in-charge minister said, “Beary Academy has been doing excellent work. Elders say if a language is not spoken, it will get destroyed and it is true to an extent. There is a need to promote languages which by the help of academies could be done more effectively. I congratulate Karnataka Beary Academy on organizing such a nice programme and wish them all success”.
Achievers in the various fields of Beary literature and those from non-Beary communities who speak the Beary language were felicitated on the occasion.
A collection of short stories written by Fakruddin Iruvail, Kirfa was released by the district in-charge minister.
Prior to the inauguration a Photography and Book exhibition was inaugurated by J.R.Lobo, MLA South Constituency.
Karnataka Beary Academy president Mohammed Haneef, MLC Ivan D’Souza, MLA Mohiuddin Bava, Konkani Sahithya Academy president Roy Castelino, Tulu Sahitya Academy president Janaki Bramhavar, MUDA chairman Kodijaal Ibrahim and others were present.
