Bike expedition to Delhi seeking recognition for Tulu flagged off

Vikith Manjunath and Sharan Shetty's motorbike expedition to New Delhi in order to create awareness about Tuluva culture, script and justify the need to include Tulu language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, was flagged-off by Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar at police parade ground on Friday.

Vikith, a mechanical design engineer by profession, has been planning this expedition for the past two months.

The pandemic and weekend curfew has not dampened the enthusiasm of Vikith, who had won gold medals in martial arts at the World Asian championship held in Sri Lanka and the world championship held in Hong Kong.

Vikith, organising secretary of Tulu Rakshana Vedike (TRV), said the expedition will begin from Suratkal in the wee hours of Saturday. He said the expedition was planned via Goa, Mumbai, Rajasthan and New Delhi.

The expedition, sponsored by Beltangady MLA Harish Poonja, would end in 30 days, he added

Vikith, en route, with help of Tuluva organisations, will create awareness about Tuluva culture. His interactions with locals will also be uploaded onto his YouTube channel, Tulunadu Traveller.

On reaching New Delhi he intends to submit TRV's memorandum on including the Tulu language into the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, to Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Kishan Reddy.

TRV president Yogish Shetty Jeppu said the expedition is the need of the hour to create awareness about the need to recognise the Tulu language.