Mangaluru: Evincing interest in introducing Tulu script to schoolchildren, Minister for Kannada and Culture Jaimala said here on Wednesday that she will pursue the matter with the government.

At a programme organised by the Karnataka Tulu, Konkani and Beary sahitya academies at the Tulu Bhavan, she asked A.C. Bhandary, president of the Tulu Sahitya Academy, to write a letter to the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education on the issue. Later, she said, she would also take up the matter with the government.

Ms. Jaimala said that if Tulu script was to be saved for the future, its use should continue. Hence, the script could be taught to schoolchildren.

Now, Tulu was being taught as the third optional language from Class VI to Class 10 in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

The Minister assured that she was interested in completing work on the Tulu Bhavan building at Urwa Stores. The government would extend support to the work.

She asked the academies to document art forms for the future as the coastal belt had diversified culture, folk and other arts.

The Minister did not agree with the demand of academy chairpersons to increase the honorarium of members of the academies.

Mr. Bhandary said that when the building of the bhavan was completed, it can have a hall with a capacity to seat 1,000 people and a folk museum.

He said that a post-graduate course in Tulu would be offered at the University College here from September 7. Mangalore University has assured that it would introduce Tulu for the undergraduate level from the academic year 2019-20. There was a need to introduce Tulu in the pre-university level, he said.

Mr. Bhandary said that Puttur Taluk Tulu Sahitya Sammelan would be organised on September 9. A Tulu Sahitya Sammelan would be conducted in Dubai for two days from November 23. In addition, Tulu sahitya sammelans would be organised in Chennai and Bengaluru.

R.P. Naik, president, Konkani Sahitya Academy, and Karumbar Mohammed, president, Karnataka Beary Academy, spoke.

The Minister was felicitated on the occasion.