Jnanpith awardee Damodar Mauzo at a felicitation ceremony for writer and Kendra Sahitya Academy awardee Siddalinga Pattanashetti in Dharwad on Sunday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Jnanpith awardee Damodar Mauzo said it was important to continue writing to show the gaps in society and note our differences with the majority, and then only awakening was possible.
He was speaking at a felicitation and interaction program for writer and Kendra Sahitya Academy awardee Siddalinga Pattanashetti organized by the Progressive Cultural Association of India (PCAI) in Dharwad on Sunday.
Mr Mauzo said all the languages in the county are great. “We should not reject any language, but imposing any language will cause problems. Young writers should imbibe the values of their tradition and try to build new things,” he said.
Literature related to the deaf and common people belonging to the lower strata of society will remain in the public domain for a long time, he said.
Mr. Mauzo described Prof. Pattanashetti as a writer who became a bridge between various Indian languages and promoted pluralism.
When talking about the poetry of Prof. Pattanashetti, the representative of the book Brahma Deva Pattar emphasized how imaginative the poems of Prof. Pattanashetti, and said it was his specialty. “Professor Pattanahsetti’s poetry is a collection of images and changes and developments can be seen in his poetry. He always kept his distance from those in power and did not remain silent when it was time to condemn mistakes,” he said.
Writer Prajna Mattihalli said that the prose of Prof. Readers liked Pattanashetti because the writer neither indulged in excessive praise nor excessive criticism.
Theater activist Shirish Joshi spoke about the writer’s plays.
Responding to the felicitations, Professor Pattanashetti emphasized the need for young writers to read eagerly as it would help them in their writing progress. “It’s also important that you record the life experiences of ordinary people,” he said.
Adviser ‘Janajagruti Abhiyana’ presiding over the function said that Prof. Pattanashetti has always supported programs with progressive goals. Mallu Huded delivered the opening remarks.
Hema Pattanashetti, Sunithkumar Shetty, Alaka Rao, Kalakesh S. and others were present. The subsequent interaction program with the author was coordinated by Sunanda Kadame and Vittal Dalawai.
Published – 14 Dec 2025 20:52 IST
