HASSAN: International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq on Wednesday received an invitation from the Mysuru district administration, on behalf of the State Government, to inaugurate the Dasara festivities on September 22.
Banu Mushtaq said she will react at an appropriate time to opposition parties and some organisations opposing her selection to open the Dasara festivities.
She accepted the invitation from the Mysuru administration team, which was led by Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Lakshmikanth Reddy. Along with the invitation, the Deputy Commissioner also presented her a shawl, Mysuru peta and a memento.
The author extended her gratitude to the State Government, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mysuru district administration and seven crore Kannadigas for giving her the opportunity to inaugurate the historical and the memorable festival.
Banu Mushtaq said she has not yet met Siddaramaiah and has no plans of visiting Mysuru before Dasara. She has planned trips abroad as she has to attend several programmes, she added.
To the visiting delegation, she presented copies of her award-winning book “Heart Lamp”. She refused to talk about the controversy surrounding her choice to inaugurate the Dasara, saying she will touch upon the issue in her autobiography in future.