Over 400 writers from across Karnataka and from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi will congregate in Dharwad this weekend for the two-day ‘May Sahitya Mela’.
Organised with the theme ‘Contemporary challenges: new generation’s response’, the two-day literary event of progressive writers will have writers and personalities like Chaman Lal of Patiala, Purushottam Bilimale of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and those who returned their awards in protest against the killing of M.M. Kalburgi and rationalists Govind Pansare and Narendra Dhabolkar. Ladai Prakashan, Gadag; Kavi Prakashan, Kavalakki; and Chittar Kala Balaga, Dharwad; have jointly organised the event, which will be held at Alur Venkatarao Bhavan from May 28.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, conveners of the event, Basavaraj Sulibhavi, Shankaragouda Satmar, and B.S. Soppin said that while there would be various sessions on contemporary issues, the event was also aimed at chalking out the next course of action in the case on Prof. Kalburgi’s murder.
Pressure
“After such incidents there will be pressure on writers who speak out against forces that are responsible for the heinous act. And there are also instances of some writers yielding to pressure and keeping themselves aloof. The event is aimed at keeping all of them together for a common cause and finding solutions for the contemporary issues through a people’s movement,” Mr. Sulibhavi said.
Discussions
The two-day event will have sessions on ‘Young generation’s response to literature’ and ‘Contemporary challenges and my expression’ and a play by Sahamatha Films Society, Manguluru, on the first day.
A session on ‘Contemporary challenges and student movements’ will be held on the second day.
Mr. Sulibhavi said that on the concluding day, ‘Vibha Sahitya Prashasti’ would be presented to Prajna Mattihalli and ‘Bandri Narasappa Samajmukhi Shramajivi Prashasti’ to Koodleppa Gudimani.
Telugu writer from Hyderabad Rani Shivashankar Sharma will deliver the valedictory address. A total of sixteen books will be released during the event.
The theme is
’Contemporary challenges: new generation’s response’
