Karnataka: Cultural icon of Mandya JP to be felicitated on 75th birthday

Mysuru: A citizen’s forum has organised a one-day event, including release of books, theatre music festival, and felicitation to mark the 75th birthday of a writer, publisher, theatre person, theatre patron, academician and cultural icon of Mandya on February 15 at Dr B R Ambedkar Bhavan in Mandya city.

According to S B Shankaregowda of Prof Jayaprakash Gowda Abhinandana Samithi, felicitation book Rangabhinandana and the first volume of the eight volume series of Natha Pantha will be released by Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Maritime Board Jayaram Raipura and MLA P M Narendra Swamy respectively, in the presence of seer of Adichunchanagiri mutt Nirmalanandanatha Swami and Agriculture Minister N Chaluvaraswamy, at 4 pm on Thursday, to mark the 75th birthday of president of Mandya-based Karnataka Sangha and retired professor B Jayaprakash Gowda, popularly known as JP.

Felicitation

Shankaregowda said, seer Purushothamananda of Kommerahalli branch of Adichunchanagiri mutt, former MLC B Ramakrishna, ex-MLA M Srinivas, former minister C S Puttaraju, former VC of Karnataka Samskrit University Padma Shekar, retired principal M Ramakrishna, writer RaGow, writer H G Sridhar, MLA P Ravi Kumar Ganiga, former minister M S Athmananda and MLC Marithibbegowda will take part in the felicitation of JP and his wife Manjula at 4 pm.

Inspector General of Police (Central Range) B R Ravikanthegowda will inaugurate Ranga Sambhrama, featuring light music, theatre music (ranga geethe) and folk art forms. While former minister D C Thammanna will preside over, folk singer Appagere Thimmaraju will lead the artistes of Janadani and Kannada Sangha for the music event at 10.30 am.

Observation

Theatre person and academician H S Umesh will preside over JP – Nenapinagaladalli, where retired professor Gurupada Mariguddi, women rights activist K R Sandhya Reddy and theatre person Shashidhar Bharighat will share their observation of the activities of JP at 2 pm.

Shankaregowda, retired principal of Shankaragowda College of Education, said, JP was proactive as a student and joined as a lecturer in PES Evening College in 1974 and came under the influence of poet laureate Kuvempu and K V Shankara Gowda. He staged the play Kurukshetra in 1978 to collect funds of Rs 3 lakh for the construction of PES Science College building. He had also played the role of Dhuryodhana. Then, he became of a part of amateur theatre movement.

Theatre

Initially Bengaluru troupes were invited to stage plays, but JP founded Geleyara Balaga involving students and teachers. Geleyara Balaga went on to stage plays across Karnataka and also in various parts of the country. Later Janadani, a cultural organisation, was formed.

Shankaregowda said JP was responsible for the decentralisation of the activities of Karnataka Nataka Academy as its member from 1988 to 91. He was president of Mandya Kannada Sahitya Parishat from 2001 to 04 and Syndicate member of Hampi-based Kannada University from 2002 to 05. Meanwhile, he started recognising achievers in various fields and conferring awards to encourage literature, social work, arts and cultural fields.

Since his retirement in 2007, JP has been striving for the cultural revival of Mandya district and patronising art.