MYSURU, 27 DEC

Kannada Development Authority Chairman Purushottam Bilimale said 230 languages spoken by people of Karnataka, including tribal and indigenous people living in the forests of the state, have been identified as critically endangered.

Bilimale was speaking after inaugurating the six-day Niranthara Rangotsav, a theatre festival which began at Rangayana premises in Mysuru, on Thursday night. 

Languages spoken by tribal communities such as Koraga, Badaga, Yerava, Irula, Soliga, Gouli, Jenukuruba and Bettakuruba have been identified as potentially endangered languages in the state. The list also includes Kodava spoken by people of Kodagu district and Tulu spoken in Dakshina Kannada and coastal region.

Most of these spoken languages without any script are dying, Bilimale said. Only three per cent of India’s population speaks Kannada, whereas 66 per cent speaks Hindi, he said.

Bilimale also appreciated the medium of theatre for uniting people of all faiths, irrespective of gender, colour and linguistic identities.

Kavitha Ratna, executive director of  the Concerned for Working Children, which has been thrice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, also remembered the contributions her late father and veteran theatre personality Na Rathna towards educating the society about the importance of rainwater  harvesting, promotion of literacy, eradication of untouchability and promotion of theatre as one of the playwright and former director od Rangayana, Mysore.

Rangayana’s former director Janardhan Janny, senior theatre personality Rameshwari Verma, Srinivas Suguna, Prasad Kundur and Prof Kalachannegowda were present. -Salar News