Tulu Academy for setting up Tulu Community Radio

Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy President Dayananda Kathalsar said that a proposal to set up Tulu Community Radio would be submitted to Kannada and Culture department.

He was replying to a caller during the phone-in programme, organised by Prajavani, at DH-PV Editorial Office in Balmatta on Thursday.

As much as Rs 50 lakh will be sought for the purpose. The community radio will help in documenting Tulu culture, folklore and art by the Academy, he added.

The rich oral literature in Tulu is in the written form. However, classical poetry in Tulu and the rich tradition of folk epics or paddanas (sung narratives) which have their own authentic folk flavour need to be recorded. The setting up of the radio will help in recording the folklore narratives and document it for the future. The studio of the radio will also help in recording of short movies and short films in Tulu, he added.

"We are working on how the proposal on community radio can be implemented,” he said.

When Narendra from Mulki and Shailesh and M K Prasad from Belthangady sought to know the progress in including Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Kathalsar said an action plan was being prepared.

Before including Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Tulu should be recognised as a state language in Karnataka. MLAs from the district and Dakshina Kannada MP have promised to work in this regard. There was a lack of will among all those who were in power in the past to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule, he said.

Kathalsar appealed to the people to start a postcard campaign to urge MLAs of Dakshina Kannada district to work for Tulu language and impress upon the government to recognise Tulu as a state language.

The Tulu Academy in Kerala too has promised to join hands with the Academy of Karnataka to get recognition for Tulu language. All should unitedly strive for recognition to Tulu language, he added.

Further, he said, ‘’We are lagging behind in projecting history of Tulu Nadu. Paddanas refer Tulu Rajya extending from Rameshwara to Neeleshwara and Neeleshwara to Ankola. Over a period of time, the dominance of other languages affected Tulu’’.

He said ‘Karavali Utsava’ should become ‘Tulu Utsava’ highlighting the art, culture and tradition of Tulunadu. The district administration should also give priority to Tulu.

When caller Srinivas from Moodbidri sought to know about Tulu script, the Academy President said an attempt was being made to create awareness on Tulu script with the help of various organisations. A meeting to discuss on Tulu script with experts will be held shortly.