JOIN USPundalika Halambi was declared elected president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) here on Wednesday.
Elections to the post of KSP president and district-unit presidents were held on Sunday, and counting of votes was completed the same day.
Counting of postal ballots of members residing outside the State was taken up on Wednesday.
Returning Officer S T Mohan Raj declared Halambi had won the election, defeating his nearest rival Prof Chandrashekara Patil by a margin of 7,134 votes.
While Halambi secured 22,486 votes, Patil, a former KSP president, secured 15,352 votes. Halambi, a former treasurer of the KSP, will take charge as the 24th president of the Parishat on Thursday.
“I am thankful to the voters who, I feel, have recognised my 14 years of service in the Parishat,” Halambi said. He will have a tenure of three years. Sixty-one-year old Halambi, a native of Kundapur taluk, will be at the helm during the centenary year celebrations of the Parishat. The Parishat was established on May 5, 1915 to protect and promote Kannada language, literature, folklore and culture.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Halambi said he would consult litterateurs, seniors and academicians before finalising a road map for the celebrations. The celebration activities will be decentralised and programmes will held even in remote villages.
More women will be involved in the Parishat activities, he said. Halambi said he would address the problems faced by people who depended on Kannada.
“Today there is a perception that studying in English medium will open opportunities for a secure future. Kannada should take this place. Reservation in government jobs should be provided to those who study in Kannada medium,” he added.