Venkatesh Murthy chosen Sahitya Sammelana president

Acclaimed poet, critic, playwright Dr H S Venkatesh Murthy has been chosen as the president of the 85th All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Kalaburagi scheduled for February 5, 6 and 7th.

The executive committee of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat which met in Bengaluru on Wednesday unanimously decided on Venkatesh Murthy, who is also popularly called as HSV.

Addressing media persons, Manu Baligar, president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat—the highest body on Kannada language and literature said, “The executive committee, along with the state government representative, has collectively chosen H S Venkatesh Murthy as the president of the three-day annual summit to be held in Kalaburagi.”

According to Baligar, the mega event celebrating the spirit of language and literature will be attended by 1.5 lakh delegates. “Boarding and lodging accommodation will be provided to the delegates at ESI Medical College, Gulbarga University and Central University campus. The main stage will come upon the sprawling campus of Gulbarga University with a seating capacity of 60,000 people. Besides, there will be two parallel stages at Dr Ambedkar Bhavan and Mahatma Gandhi Bhavan on the university premises,” Baligar briefed.

The three-day annual event is likely to cost about Rs 10 to 12 crore. “Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, also the district-in-charge minister, has assured of funds from the state government,” Baligar revealed.

Expectations were high that the Parishat will select a woman writer as the president of the Sammelana considering that a similar choice was made almost a decade ago. However, despite discussing on several prominent women litterateurs, the executive committee resolved to choose Dr HSV.

“We discussed the candidature of women writers such as Sara Aboobacker, Vaidehi (Janaki), Veena Shanteshwar, B T Lalitha Naik, Lata Rajashekar along with other writers like Go Ru Channabasappa, Kum Veerabhadrappa, Doddarange Gowda. It was a collective decision of the committee to choose Dr HSV,” Baligar said.