Date:31/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/31/stories/2008083157800300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Venkatachala Shastry felicitated

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Prominent people from different walks of life came together and felicitated the renowned Kannada researcher and scholar T.V. Venkatachala Shastry, author of over 100 works, on the occasion of his 75th birthday on Saturday.

The former Union Minister and MP M.V. Rajashekaran, the former Governor M. Rama Jois, lexicographer G. Venkatasubbaiah, Kannada researcher M.M. Kalburgi, freedom fighter and Gandhian H.S. Doreswamy and writer Mallepuram G. Venkatesh did the honours by presenting a garland, shawl and memento to Dr. Shastry and his wife at a simple function organised here by T.V. Venkatachala Shastry Felicitation Committee, Kolar, in association with various other organisations.

Mr. Jois released Kannada Meru, a felicitation volume brought out by the committee to mark the occasion. Kannada Meru comprises rare photographs reflecting various phases in Dr. Shastry’s life; letters written to him by his teachers, researchers, friends and students and articles on him and his works by contemporary writers.

Mr. Rajashekaran, a schoolmate of the veteran researcher, said that Dr. Shastry was one of the few researchers who played a major role in convincing the Central Committee that classical language status should be granted to Kannada.