Mangaluru : The three-day 24th Dakshina Kannada District Sahitya Sammelana will begin at Sharada Vidyalaya here on Friday with the theme, “Traditional and Modern Approach to Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

Scholar and talamaddale Arthadari M. Prabhakar Joshi will preside over the meet. The former Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, and Karnataka State Open University B.A. Vivek Rai will inaugurate the event.

An exhibition of art works by 22 artists will be an attraction with other activities. The exhibition, Varna Kavyanjali, to be organised under the auspices of Karavali Chitrakala Chavadi, will get under way at 4.30 p.m. on Friday. It will remain open for visitors on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Artists Ganesh Somayaji, Permude Mohan Kumar, Sharat Holla, Dinesh Holla, John Chandran, Kamal, Manoranjani Upadhya, Sapna Naronha, Jayashree Sharma, Veena Punchithaya, Khurshid Yakub, Rachana Suraj, Nisha Bangera, Roopa Vasundhara Acharya, Jyothi Shetty, Sanjotha Dharma, Eeranna Thippannavar, Muralidhara K.S., Naveen Kodical, Arun Karanth, Naveenchandra Bangera and S.M. Shivaprakash will exhibit their art works.

There will be a felicitation programme where achievers in various sectors will be honoured. And, the “Kannada Siri” honorary awards will also be given away.

The event will feature literary sessions, Kavi Goshti and other cultural programmes. There will be a session on National Education Policy on Sunday at 10 a.m. Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University P.S. Yadapadithaya will preside over this particular session. Teachers Praveen Martis, Kumaraswamy H., Karunakara Kotekar and Ashalatha will speak on different aspects of the policy.

The sammelan will witness a session on Healthy Society on Sunday where doctors will speak on allopathy treatment, Ayurveda and naturopathy, Homoeopathy and dental treatment.

There will be an interaction with the president of the sammelan on Sunday afternoon. An open session will be held under the presidentship of S. Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, president of Dakshina Kannada Sahitya Parishat, on Sunday evening to mark the end of the event.

There will be an exhibition of books and other products.