Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (MS)

Karkala, Feb 22: "The extinction of a language starts when people who speak that language develop negligent attitude towards it. So people should feel proud when they speak their language," said minister for Kannada and culture C T Ravi.

Ravi was speaking at the silver jubilee celebration programme of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy which was organized at the SVT educational institute here on Saturday, February 22.

Continuing his address, the minister said, "Language and culture are like the two faces of the same coin. When a language survives, the culture that is linked to it also survives. In India there are 1,200 languages and all are complimentary to one another. Though there is diversity in languages in the country, the feeling of oneness is there among the people.

"Konkani language is nurtured by Kannada language. But the love of English language among people is sending the local languages to near extinction. Learn other languages according to the need of time, but develop love and affection towards your own language. By preserving the local and regional languages at home we should make them known to the next generation."

As many as 25 achievers in various fields of Konkani were felicitated on the occasion.

MP of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency Shobha Karandlaje, Karkala MLA V Sunil Kumar, president of the convention and litterateur Gokuldas Prabhu, honorary president of silver jubilee committee Sandhya Pai, social worker Dinesh Kamath, Parish priest of Attur St Lawrence Basilica George D'Souza, Registrar of Konkani Sahitya Academy Babu Bekkeri and members of the academy were present on the occasion.

Dr K Jagadeesh Pai, president of Konkani Sahitya Academy did the introductory speech and welcomed the gathering.