Puttur: Dr Shivaram Karanth was just like a ‘university’ and information about his literary works should be passed on to the future generation, said Kannada writer and lyricist Jayant Kaikini.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 118th birthday celebrations of Dr Karanth, recently organised by the Department of Kannada and Culture, Dr Shivaram Karanth Balavana, Parladka and the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Puttur at Balavana in Puttur.

“Balavana of Puttur was Karanth’s workplace and he had done most of his literary works here itself. He had produced 97 dramas (plays) and over 200 novels in Balavana. Now, after having visited Balavana, my mind has been refreshed,” he said.

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat president Meenakshi Shantigodu, who was also present for the celebration, urged the students to imbibe Dr Karanth’s ideals.

Former Kannada Professor Dr Thaltaje Vasanth Kumar, during a seminar organised as part of the birth anniversary celebration, said that Dr Karanth was a real environmentalist and fought for originality. “When Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister, the government was planning to fix a concrete hand (hand made of concrete) on a damaged idol of ‘Narasimha’. Karanth wrote to the Prime Minister asking for the originality of the idol to be maintained. The government then withdrew its plan to fix a concrete hand on the idol,” Dr Kumar said.

Veteran journalist Chidambar Baikampady and student scientist, Aman K of the Uppinangady Indraprastha Institution were felicitated on the occasion.

Dr Shivaram Karanth’s daughter, renowned Odissi dancer Kshama Rao, Assistant Commissioner H K Krishnamurthi, Puttur Town Municipality Commissioner Rupa K Shetty and others were present.