S M Krishna.
Credit: DH file photo
Shivamogga: All Karnataka government programmes and even schools begin with the State Anthem Jai Bharata Jananiya Tanujaathe penned by poet laureate Kuvempu.
This was made possible, thanks to former chief minister, the late S M Krishna, as his government had officially declared the composition as Karnataka's state anthem in January 2004 to mark the birth centenary of the poet.
The Krishna-led government had also set up 'Kuvempu' Kannada medium schools in every district of the state in the poet's honour.
These schools were made in response to a suggestion by Jnanpith awardee, the late UR Ananthamurthy, at the birth centenary celebrations of Kuvempu.
Both Kuvempu and Ananthamurthy hailed from Thirthahalli taluk. Every district in the state has such a school.
Recalling Krishna's link with Kuvempu, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana Secretary Kadidal Prakash said that the former chief minister had the highest regard for the poet and his Viswhamanava Sandesha (Universal Humanism).
The Krishna-le government had released a grant of Rs 25 lakh as corpus fund for the execution of various development works at Kuppali, birthplace of Kuvempu.
Kuvempu Bhashabharathi Pradhikar was established in 2004, birth centenary year of the poet. The main objective of the body is to promote literary works of national and international languages. Similarly, the works of other nationally significant authors are translated into Kannada.
The body also translates and publishes rare, ancient, and modern literature, along with best-known books of great value in other languages. Similarly, important Kannada literature, basic academic books in English and other foreign languages, and important works in various Indian languages are also translated/published by the Kuvempu Bhashabharathi Pradhikar.
Prakash also mentioned that it was S M Krishna who inaugurated Kuvempu's ancestral house-turned-memorial in 2000 during his tenure as chief minister. Besides, one acre of land was allotted to the trust to set up Kuvempu Centenary Bhavan at Kuppali.
Poet laureate G S Shivaraudrappa had inaugurated the Kavishala, where the poet was laid to rest. The then union minister H Ananthkumar had inaugurated the photo gallery.