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Karnataka
By Our Staff Correspondent
Speaking after inaugurating the Kanakadasa Chair at Mangalore University near here, he regretted that modern education was not preparing the youth to rise above petty considerations which, in turn, were fostering divisions in society. Dr. Parameshwar said it was ironical that society, which was progressing with advancements in technology, was at the same time going back with various social upheavals. This was due to the failure of the intelligentsia to help resolve them amicably. Stating that the education sector too was on the verge of change at various levels, he said it was the duty of those involved in it to help create a new India. Changes that were cosmetic in nature would serve no purpose. The education sector should take up the responsibility in understanding various social undercurrents and deal with them. Noting that social transformation was a long-drawn process, he said the lives of Buddha, Basavanna, and Kanakadasa reflected their concern to foster a sense of social equality. Society would gain a lot if it made a serious attempt to understand their compulsions in striving for social reforms. Stating that it was their individual experiences which drew them to take up this onerous task, Dr. Parameshwar said that conversely, modern society was trying to put up a semblance of unity amid deep-rooted divisions. Modernisation had only deepened these divisions and today's education had failed to bridge this chasm. Society was devising ways and means to widen these divisions and the present list of Scheduled Castes was an indicator to them. The initial SC list had only five oppressed castes in a schedule and it had now grown to 180. It was a Herculean task for governments to manage its ramifications, he said. Dr. Parameshwar said the establishment of Chairs in universities was being seen more as a symbol of giving representation to a particular class of society. It should become a vehicle to spread the inherent message of humanity and values propounded by the person to whom it was being dedicated and for society to learn something from it. He commended the university for its achievements in education. The staff of the university had worked hard to make it a model institution. He promised to place the demand made by the member of the Backward Classes Commission, B.K. Ravi, for setting up backward classes cells in universities, before the Inter-University Board meeting. The Minister for Textiles and Sericulture, H.M. Revanna, referred to the contributions of Kanakadasa to society and hoped that the university would make sincere efforts to spread the social reformer's message. He said Kanakadasa's message depicted in Ramadanya Charithe was relevant even today. He urged the people to draw inspiration from the inherent wisdom in Kanakadasa's keertanas. Earlier, introducing the Chair, Dr. Ravi said the philosophy of Kanakadasa was yet to reach the people. Stating that academics had not carried out much research on the saint, he hoped that the Chair would facilitate it. Presiding over the function, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, B. Hanumaiah, said the university would take steps to ensure that the Chair met its objective.The Registrar, K. Sundar Naik, welcomed the gathering. Chinnappa Gowda of the Department of Kannada proposed a vote of thanks.
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