Literary contribution of Jains lauded

 BIJAPUR: The credit of establishing the first ever women's university in the world goes to the Jain community, said literary figure Ham Pa Nagarajaiah.

Inaugurating the two-day state level seminar on Kannada Jain Literature and Women, organised jointly by Karnataka State Women's University and Shrut Samvardhan Samsthan, Meerat (UP), here on Tuesday, he said it was in 860 AD at Vedal in Tamil Nadu that the first women's university was established, during the regime of Rashtrakutas, in which more than 900 students studied.

Contribution of Jains to Kannada literature is immense. Jain poets gave language diversity to Kannada, he said.

Participating as chief guest, Hampi Kannada University former vice chancellor M M Kalburgi lamented that despite the state having a rich treasure of Jain scripts and presence of a number of Basadis, the Jain community is reduced to a minority in Karnataka. Basadis are neglected and Jain literature is not accorded the status it deserves, he noted.

Evaluation registrar Mahesh Chintamani, Kannada department head Vijayashri Sabarad, S S Vijaydevi and M Nagaraj were present.

Photo caption: Literary personality Pa Ham Nagarajaiah inaugurated Two days state level seminar on Kannada Jain Literature and Women arranged jointly by Karnataka State Womens Universityand Shrut Samvardhan Samsthan, Meerat ( U.P) on Tuesday at Bijapur.

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON JAINISM ON OCT. 8

Mysore, Oct. 6 (KCU&KK)- The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, in association with Bharathavarshiya Digambar Jain Tirth-Kshetra Committee will be organising a three-day international conference Yuga Yatri — Jainism through the ages, a historical perceptive from Oct. 8 to 10 at Dasara Exhibition Grounds here.

Disclosing this at a press meet at the Directorate here yesterday, its Director Dr. R. Gopal said, the programme to be inaugurated by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will be attended by over 500 scholars including 150 delegates from India and abroad.

He added that the event also features essay competition, interactions and release of books, not to mention a photo expo and documentary on Jainism.

Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of Suttur Mutt, Sri Bhuvanakeerthi Bhattakara Swamiji of Shravanabelagola, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade and Committee President R.K. Jain will grace the occasion.

The following books will be released on the occasion: 'Progress of Archeology in Karnataka' by Kannada and Culture Minister Govinda M. Karjol, 'Naada Habba Mysore Dasara' by Higher Education Minister Dr. V.S. Acharya, 'Mysoru Jilleya Ithihasa Mattu Puratatva' by Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy, 'Tipu Sultan-The tiger of Mysore' by Haj, Wakf and Minority Welfare Minister Prof. Mumtaj Ali Khan, 'Belagavi Jilleya Ithihasa Mattu Puratatva' by Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Basavaraj Bommai, 'Jainism Through thge ages-abstract volume' by Forest Minister C.H. Vijayashankar and 'Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar III' by Kannada and Culture Secretary B.R. Jayaramaraje Urs.
Medical Education Minister S.A. Ramdas will preside over the function and litterateur Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah will preside over the conference.

Leader of Opposition Siddharamaiah, MPs H. Viswanath, R. Dhruvanarayana and Cheluvarayaswamy, Mayor Sandesh Swamy, MLAs V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, H.S. Shankaralingegowda, Tanveer Sait, S.R. Mahesh, H.P. Manjunath, M. Sathyanarayana, K. Venkatesh and Chikkanna, MLCs Marithibbegowda, B. Siddaraju, Thontadarya, Sandesh Nagaraj, Chikkamadu, Prof. K.R. Mallikarjunappa and G. Madhusudan will be the chief guests. Programme Co-ordinator Vinod Bakliwala and Convenor Sudheer Kumar were present at the press meet.

News Courtasy: Satr of Mysore