“I was fortunate enough to don the role of Basavanna. Till then I had only seen his statue and it was a challenge for me to do the role. Later, I read literature on him. Revolutionary Basavanna’s role was the turning point in my acting career”, said actor Ashok.

He was speaking after releasing the handbills at the Spoorthi, sports, NSS and first year degree students welcome function organised by the Siddaganga Women’s degree college, here.

Former minister Leeladevi R Prasad said, the only mutt that was following the seven sutras which Mahatma Gandhi had propounded was the Siddaganga mutt.

Today everyone can afford education. Even though there is most modern facilities available, man is not becoming cultured. With women being educated the health of the society improves. The education that we get should be good and have a background.

Today’s youth believes that only reason to study is to get a job and when it is deprived, then they take wrong steps and spoil the society, which is indeed reprehensible, she said and advised that there should be separate programmes for the youth.

Litterateur Dr Giraddi Govindaraju said, ‘choice’ is a curse on man. Because if he has to choose then he has to face the consequences. When there is choice then he also has to own the responsibility. Hence when chooses one should be very responsible, he said.

The junior pontiff of Siddaganga mutt Sri Siddalingaswami who graced the occasion said, today importance is stressed on studies only to pass in the exam and not to learn. There is no dearth of opportunities to learn. From birth till death one can keep learning. Earlier, though the educated were very little, they were cultured citizens. Today though there were more literates, they were uncivilised, he regretted.

College principal Prof T S Sachichidanandamurthy presided. Principal Prof G S Renukappa, Spoorti convener Prof G S Mallikarjun, Dr D N Yogesh, sports director Prof S Rajashekar, NSS officer Dr M S Shivaprakash and others were present.