Date:27/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/27/stories/2008082754070400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

R.K. Prasad to head sahitya parishat

Staff Reporter

He will be the 23rd president of the parishat

R.K. Prasad

BANGALORE: Retired professor of Kannada R.K. Prasad, popularly known as Nallur Prasad, has been elected president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. The elections were held on Sunday.

Dr. Prasad, who defeated his nearest rival, C. Veeranna, by over 6,000 votes, will assume office on Wednesday as the 23rd president of the parishat. While Dr. Prasad secured 17,563 votes, Dr. Veeranna got 11,158 votes. S. Vidyashankar, also a retired Kannada professor, was relegated to the third position.

Announcing the results here on Tuesday, Returning Officer K. Nagaraju said the elections had witnessed a voter turnout of 59.6 per cent. “As many as 36,913 votes out of the total 61,958 were polled and 1,178 votes were rejected,” he said.

Dr. Prasad taught Kannada in Visveswarapuram Arts College and served as a member of the Bangalore University Senate. He was also a member of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy and the Yakshagana and Janapada Academy. Dr. Prasad, who is an expert in folk literature, has published three collections of poems.

Soon after the results were announced, an elated Dr. Prasad told presspersons that it was the right of every Kannadiga for classical language status to be accorded to Kannada. “I will convene a meeting of MPs from the State and also meet the Chief Minister in this regard. I also seek the support of all pro-Kannada organisations to launch a peaceful struggle for this cause.”

Stating that he would try to meet the expectations of the people, Dr. Prasad said, “I have my own dreams about the sahitya parshat and will make efforts towards realising them.”