Department of Kannada

Our setting

Siddapur lies close to the world-famous Jog Falls and to Banavasi, the place that inspired Adikavi Pampa, one of the great poets of Kannada. It has all the beauty and diversity of the Malenad region, with the Sharavati valley on one side, the Aghanashini valley on the other, and hundreds of waterfalls, rivulets and streams in between. The historic Golabhavi, the Jain basadi, the fort and temples of Bilagi, dense forests rich in biodiversity and a multiplicity of languages make the region unique.

Objectives

Kannada is the mother tongue of 45 million people in Karnataka. Ideas and experiences are best expressed in one's mother tongue; it is the vehicle of our culture and the medium of administration in the State. For this reason Kannada was introduced as a basic subject as soon as the college was established, and provision was later made to study Kannada language and literature as a special subject.

Kannada is a classical language with a heritage of thousands of years. Through the literary works of great writers, the department aims to impart knowledge of literature along with a strong value system, and, within its means, to build awareness among the public about sustaining and developing the language.

History of the department

Prof. M. R. Anavatti headed the department in 1969 and 1970. Prof. R. M. Bhat joined on 1 June 1970; an astute scholar, he was an outstanding teacher of Old Kannada literature and Kannada grammar.

Dr. R. P. Hegde joined on 1 July 1981. A reputed teacher of the history of literature, prosody, poetics and linguistics, he was awarded a doctorate by Karnatak University for his thesis "Comparative study of Shishunal Shareef and Sant Kabeer". An author and a good public speaker, he took voluntary retirement on 31 July 2002.

Dr. Vittal Bhandari joined on 1 July 1994. He taught the history of literature, prosody, poetics, criticism and cultural studies, and received his doctorate from Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, for his thesis "Class conflicts in Kannada Novels". An author, orator and social activist, he passed away during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a great loss to the department and to the literary and cultural world.

G. S. Bhat, T. A. Hegde, Shantala Hegde, Veena T. Hegde, Vishwanath, Sahan Dixit, Prashant L. Hegde, Dr. Rajeev R. Hegde, Ratnakar G. Naik, Ramachandra Madival and Rajashree Raykar have served the department as guest lecturers.

Prof. Jagannath N. Moger, Assistant Professor, is the present Head of the Department.

Vision and mission

Vision: Understanding the world through the window of Kannada.

• Understanding local culture and language.
• Responding to contemporary social issues through the study of literature.
• Enhancing creativity.

Subjects taught

• History of Kannada literature
• Travel literature
• Autobiography and biography
• Poetics and prosody
• Criticism
• Research methods
• Classical Kannada literature
• Grammar (Shabdamani Darpana)
• Novels, short stories, poems and essays

Learning resources

• Central library with 5,657 reference books
• N-LIST e-journals
• Uttara Kannada District Library with 1,310 books
• Periodicals: Spardha Vijeta, Jeevanada Neralu, Vijnanada Loka, Janapada, Mayura, Matukate, Samahita, Sudha and Aruhu Kuruhu

Best practices

• Kannada Sangha, workshops, seminars and student project work
• Visits to the homes of writers
• Talent competitions
• Book prizes for students scoring the highest marks in the university examination
• Free books for students who need them
• State-level seminars, workshops and special lectures

Seminars, workshops and programmes

State-level seminars organised by the department:

• Relevance of Ambedkar's thoughts
• B. H. Shridhara's literature
• Challenges of higher education
• Re-reading Dr. Shivarama Karanth
• Workshops: A Read on Kuvempu; Mahile, Samaja & Sahitya
• Interdisciplinary programme: Banking Transactions Made Easy

Student activities

• Student seminars on Savitribai Phule, on Kuvempu's literature (with a documentary screening) and on Dalit autobiography
• Weekly talk: student presentations on illustrious people of the world
• Daily talk: students speak on a topic of their choice
• Projects: interviews with grandparents of the elder generation; a review of K. P. Tejasvi's works; our environment; our farming methods; folk songs of Siddapur taluk; life and writings of scientists; Siddapura Taluka Grameena Padakosha; Sasya Prapancha
• Competitions: taluk-level essay competition, Sundara Kaibaraha (handwriting) competition, and Kannada group songs and elocution for Kannada Rajyotsava
• Every year the Kannada department and the library hold a "My Favourite Book" competition to encourage reading; the library awards cash prizes