BANGALORE: The state government has instituted an award in the name of Kanakadasa, the 16th century poet, from this year. The award carries a cash prize of Rs five lakh and will be given to those who have made significant contributions to promote the life and literature of Kanakadasa.
Announcing this at the Kanaka Jayanti celebrations at the Vidhana Soudha on Saturday, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said that the preachings of Kanakadasa were relevant even today and everyone should adopt them in their lives. Stating that his government was committed to the cause of Kuruba community, the CM said that Kaginele, the pilgrimage place for Kurubas, would be developed on the lines of Kudalasangama and Rs 10 crore had been released to Kaginele Development Authority in this regard.
In order to promote the life and literature of Kanakadasa, the state government had decided to provide Rs one crore each to universities which came forward to set up a study chair on the poet. Besides, efforts would be made to spread the message of Kanakadasa through staging of street-plays and bringing out audio cassettes on him, the CM said.
Yeddyurappa said that the government was mulling to open residential schools exclusively for children of nomadic tribes and a high-power committee would be constituted for framing policies for the development of nomadic tribes, including Kuruba community.
Speaker Jagadish Shettar, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Mallikarjuna Kharge, former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah and Energy Minister K S Eshwarappa spoke. Ministers R Ashok, Ramachandra Gowda, D Sudhakar and Katta Subramanya Naidu were present.