Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat celebrated the 75th birth anniversary of well-known writer and photographer Poornachandra Tejaswi here on Sunday.
Inaugurating the event, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recalled his association with Tejaswi. “I have known him for a long time. He was an artist of great calibre who achieved a lot,” he observed.
Recalling the time they spent together, Siddaramaiah said he was treated with warm hospitality when he had visited Tejaswi’s farmhouse near Mudigere in Chikmagalur district.
Rs one crore sanctioned
The State government has also sanctioned Rs one crore in addition to two acres of land for starting a bird sanctuary in memory of Tejaswi in the Western Ghats. “We will grow trees and create an atmosphere conducive to ensure that birds visit the sanctuary,” explained Nagaraj Murthy of the Parishat.
On the occasion, Tejaswi’s first novel “Kadu Mattu Kraurya” was released. He was someone who was closely associated with the nature. His experiences are reflected in the work, said Jnanapith awardee Chandrashekara Kambara. “This book does not feel like a first novel. It leaves a reader spellbound and, it is a great contribution to the State and Kannadigas,” he added.
Siddaramaiah said the youth are now attracted only towards Twitter and Facebook and their world revolves around the same.
“There is a need to draw their attention towards Kannada literature and this will be possible only when the technology in Kannada is improved,” he added. He said people such as Ramdas, P Lankesh and Tejaswi had influenced his thinking to a great extent. Photographs by Tejaswi are on display at the Parishat premises.
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