Grand Celebration of 8th World Kannada Cultural Conventions in Kingdom of Bahrain

By Joel DSa
Bellevision Media Network

Bahrain, 04 October 2011: The Eighth World Kannada Cultural Convention organized by Kannada Sangha, Bahrain and Hradayavahini Kannada monthly bulletin was inaugurated at Al Raza School auditorium, Manama, here on Thursday September 29 evening.The convention was organized under the patronage of Karnataka state Kannada and culture department and Kannada Development Authority.

 

Karnataka NRI committee vice-president Captain Ganesh Karnic inaugurated the Sammelana, while renowned Kannada litterateur Dr Doddarange Gowda presided over the Convention.

 

United Kingdom Kannada Balaga president Surenu Jayaram, honorary president Dr K B Nagoor Bijapur were the specially invitees.

 

Renowned social workers from Karnataka Dr Rama Reddy, Bangalore and Shivanand Hondadakeri were felicitated during the program.Karnataka working journalists’ association president Modalimar and Kannadiga Patrakartara Sangh Maharashtra founder honorary secretary Rons Bantwal were conferred the Vishwa Rajyotsava Award, draped with shawl and presented with a ’Mysore peta’ and a citation. Renowned Bharatanatyam artiste Sagar Prasad T S was also honored.

 

 

Captain Karnik in his inaugural address commended the efforts of NRIs in promoting Kannada in distant lands at a time when it faces threat from other languages in its own capital city Bangalore. The love for Kannada by NRIs and Kannadigas settled across India is commendable, he added.

 

Surenu Jayaram released Kannada literary work ’Kaadu - Kanive - Kadalu’ authored by Dr Doddarange Gowda, while Nagaraj B Jamakandi read a message by Karnataka state large and medium industries minister Murugesh Nirani.

 

Dr Doddarange Gowda said that Kannada has great potential which is being utilised in the oil-rich State of Bahrain. Dr Gowda urged NRI Kannadigas to sign in Kannada to show their devotion to their motherland.

 

Go Na Swamy Bangalore chaired a humour session, attended by L Girish, Bahrain and Manjunat Pandavarapura.

 

The artistes of Sairaman Nrutya Kendra, Tumkur, staged a dance depicting the mythological episode of Vinayaka, while the artistes of Kannada Sangha, Bahrain staged ’Atishaya Moksha’, a Yakshagana play.

 

The programme began with a prayer song by Bharat Sri Radhakrishnan. Kannada Sangha Bahrain president Raj Kumar welcomed the gathering. Convention committee president K P Manjunat Sagar delivered the introductory address. The artistes of Kannada Sangh Bahrain presented a welcome dance while the women members performed a folk dance. The Main attaraction of the evening was a grand Yakshagana Play “ Athikaya Moksha” by Kannada Sangha Artists, Cultural secretary Kiran Upadhyaya and Aparna compeered the program. Honorary chief secretary Ramesh Ramachandran proposed the vote of thanks.

 

30th Sept 2011 the  Convention was vibrant since the early morning with several formums dicssing various aspects of Karnataka’s culture, art and business, the Kavi Gosti was brilliant, the evening program started with  art and culture extravaganza with the arrival of Indian Ambassador Mohan Kumar and other dignitaries accompanied with Poorna Kumba and Dollu Kunitha Dance Indian School band children with their immense talents mesmerized the audience when they played National anthem of our beloved India.

 

Dr. Dodrange Gowda, convention president, addressing more than 1000 Kannadigas in Bahrain and more 120 other leading personalities and artists specially flown into Bahrain from Karnataka, cautioned Kannadiga’s  the result of giving undue  importance to English. The present generation neither has any patience nor passion for their mother tongue, either Kannada or their other languages.

 

Chairman of Kannada development authority Mukya Mantri Chandru elaborated the great literary skills of our Kannadigas like Kuwempu, Karanth and many more. He also pleaded to work hard to preserve Kannada Language in all its splendor. He applauded Kannada Sangha, Bahrain for their immense contribution towards Kannada culture.  On this occasion the Sammelana Souvenir “ Kaveri” was released buy The Ambassador of India to Bahrain, his Excellency Mohan Kumar.
Ambassor Mohan Kumar praised Kannada Sangha for its cultural activities and said it was one of the best clubs in Bahrain.
The star attraction of the event was the very talented Kannada film super star Puneet Rajkumar. He sang few Kannada film songs on the request of his fans. The remembered his last visit to Bahrain with his father, the late Dr Rajkumar in the early 1990s to participate in Kannada Sangha’s Progrm.

 

Rajkumar, Sangha president in his speech thanked all the dignitaries, Ambassador, deputy chairman of NRI forum in Karnataka Captain Ganesh Karnik and all the sponsors.

 

Cinestar Aparna compared program for two days in  Kannada which was well-appreciated by the audience. Ramesh Ramachandran, General Secretary of Kannada Sangha gave the vote of thanks.