Aid for Classical Kannada researchers

Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) Director D G Rao said on Wednesday that the institution is considering extending financial support to young researchers who are involved in studies in Classical Kannada.

The Director was addressing a gathering during the inaugural ceremony of a three-day workshop on ‘Kannada Literature: Challenges and opportunities in study’, as organised by the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK) here. He said that there were many studies on Kannada language but there is a need for more studies in Classical Kannada. The young researchers should take up studies in Classical Kannada as it has good scope.

The Director said that the institution is ready to extend support to the research scholars. He informed that the CESCK will get its own building soon. Odisha government has already provided a new building for the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Odia and the Kerala government has decided to provide a building for Classical Malayalam language, he informed.

Reader-cum-researcher L Ramamoorthy said that there are several opportunities to conduct studies in Classical Kannada literature and grammar.

Explaining about the national and regional status for languages, he said there will be political intolerance in providing national and regional status for any language but while providing Classical status, no political influence works. The Classical status for any language will be given based on the literature and grammar of the language, he said.

Language expert R V S Sundaram said Kannada language is gaining interest wordwide as the literature has a history of more than 1,200 years. There are only a few languages in the world that have constantly created literature for thousands of years.

More than 50 researchers participated in the workshop.