New Delhi’s Sahitya Akademi president Prof Chandrashekhar Kambara regretted the plight of Kannada language in the state. When compared to the official languages of other states, the plight of the Kannada language was pathetic and in a dangerous situation.

He was delivering the convocation address at the fourth convocation of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) organised on its campus at Kadaganchi near here on Thursday.

Prof Kambara said that thousands of Kannada medium schools are being closed every year in the state, while a large number of English medium schools are being opened every year.

In the last four years, that is between 2013 and 2018, at least 13 lakh children dropped out from Kannada medium schools and as many as 15 lakh children enrolled for English medium schools.

Under the Right To Education (RTE) Act, the government itself pays a fee and sends children to English medium schools. We should not kill our mother tongue under the influence of the English language, he opined.

Prof Kambara said those suffering from inferiority complex argued that teaching science in Kannada was impossible. But scientists like C N R Rao encouraged teaching science in one’s mother tongue.

Teachers of all regional languages should consider the possibility and start teaching science in respective languages, he appealed.

37 students get gold

A total of 37 students received gold medals at the convocation while one student remained absent. PhD was conferred on 29 persons. Apoorva Joshi, an MTech (Information & Communication Technology) graduate of 2018, bagged two gold medals - one from her department and the other instituted by former vice chancellor A M Pathan.

Vice Chancellor H M Maheshwaraiah delivered the introductory speech. Chancellor Prof N R Shetty and Pro-chancellor Prof G R Naik were also present.