Mention Tulu as mother tongue in upcoming Census: Academy President

Mangaluru: Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy President Dayananda Kathalsar on Thursday urged Tulu Nadu people to mention Tulu as their mother tongue during the Census to be held next year.

Speaking at a phone-in programme, Kathalsar said Tulu language has been introduced in high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels and efforts are being made to introduce Tulu as an optional language subject in pre-university courses from next academic year.

Responding to a caller who said that fines were being imposed on students for speaking in Tulu language on the school campus, Kathalsar said that school authorities cant impose restrictions on the conversational language of the students amongst themselves. “The medium of instruction should be restricted for academic purpose and if the Academy receives any complaints it will seek action through the department concerned.

On Academy’s plan to digitise Tulu books and art forms, Kathalsar informed that the same will be taken up by the Academy in the future.

Another caller raised the issue of Rs 3.6 crore being sanctioned to Tulu Academy while Beary and Konkani Academy got sanctions of Rs 6 crore and Rs 5 crore respectively. In his reponse, Kathalsar informed that the Rs 3.6 crore sanctioned to the Academy was an additional amount to complete the work on Tulu Bhavana. Earlier the government had sanctioned half-acre of land and Rs 4 crore for constructing Tulu Bhavana, he said.

The Academy president also informed that a further sum of Rs 2 crore has been sought to set up a museum highlighting Tulu art, culture and age-old artefacts of the Tulu Nadu.