State govt plans a grand birth centenary for Urs

Books, plays, screening of documentary and other events on cards

A high-power committee, constituted to chalk out programmes for the year-long birth centenary celebrations of former chief minister D Devaraj Urs in the State, has planned a host of activities.

According to a note issued by the working president of Executive Committee of D Devaraj Urs Birth Centenary Celebrations and former Mysuru and Kodagu MP A H Vishwanath, it has been decided to bring out a literary series that includes a mega volume and books on various facets of Urs, besides organising an essay contest, awareness camps for youths, seminars,  encouraging playwrights and plays, dance ballets and a documentary on the personality and achievements of Urs, described as the champion of backward sfclasses in the State.    
     
A mega volume titled ‘Arasu Navayuga Nayaka’ will be brought out, along with ‘Arasu Samatha Sadhaka’ describing the personality, ideas and achievements of Urs in Kannada and translated to English, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and Telugu languages. A total of 10 handbooks titled ‘Arasu Munnota’, highlighting various programmes introduced by Urs bringing reforms in effective manner will also be published. Most importantly, the friends and followers of Urs will be brushing up their memory in a special write-up titled ‘Odanadi Arasu’, photo gallery titled ‘Arasu Chitrakosha’, another volume derived from the books and essays already published by other writers titled ‘Arasu Angana’ and the publication of a collection of speeches made by Urs on the floor of the house, to be translated into Hindi and English languages too.
For degree students, an essay contest will be conducted in all the 30 districts and will be awarded prizes at four levels. The best among the essays will also be published.

As many as 60 camps have been planned for youngsters across the State to develop leadership abilities among them under a programme titled ‘Samanatha Samaja Nayakatva Nirmana’. Seminars will be conducted at all the universities in the State, besides extending to Delhi and other States in English and Hindi languages.

Plays reflecting the economic reforms undertaken by Urs, besides focusing on his social, political and education reforms will also be staged in four divisions in the State. Similarly, a dance ballet will be staged across the State, followed by the filming and screening of a documentary on Urs.    

The valedictory ceremony, planned in Bengaluru in August next, will also be an eventful ceremony, with a ‘Rath Yatra’ planned from four divisions of the State to Bengaluru, as a prelude to the main event.

Inaugural in Mysuru
Earlier, addressing media at the Deputy Commissioner’s  office on Sunday, Prasad said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will launch the year-long birth centenary celebrations at 3 pm at Open Air Theatre, Manasagangotri on August 20. All those chief ministers who served the State after Urs will also be felicitated on the occasion.

The chief minister will announce the decision of the Stage government to adopt Kallahalli, the native place of Urs at Hunsur taluk in Mysuru district. It will be developed as a model village, the minister reiterated.