Mangalore: Book on Tulu Koota founder released

The Hindu

Mangalore, 16 June 2011: A book on S.R. Hegde, founder of Tulu Koota, was released by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy president Palthady Ramakrishna Achar here on Wednesday.

 

Palthady Ramakrishna Achar , President, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, releasing a book on S.R.Hegde in Mangalore on Wednesday.

 

The book is the 29 {+t} {+h} in a series of 31 books that the academy had brought out, called “Marepperanvandi Tuluver”, about persons from the region who have contributed to Tulu language and culture.

 

Author M. Rathnakumar said that S.R. Hegde was born in 1934 and founded the Tulu Koota in 1969. He said that Mr. Hegde devoted 27 years of his life to Tulu. At a time when Tulu was neglected, he revived the language, Mr. Rathnakumar said.

 

He thanked the Hegde’s wife who proved to be a source of invaluable information before her death. He thanked Hegde’s sons Rakesh and Rajesh for providing him with details about their father’s life.

 

Mr. Achar said that it was not possible only for the academy to preserve and promote the language but emphasised that people should contribute to it.

 

He said that after a long struggle, Tulu was taught as a third language in schools.

 

Senior Yakshagana artiste Kumble Sundar Rao said the book would stand as a record of all the ways in which Mr. Hegde contributed to the language even if people forgot him.