Mangaluru : The Dakshina Kannada district unit of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat has organised the Centenary celebrations of the Parishat on October 8 and 9 in Mangaluru.

District unit president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura told presspersons here on Tuesday that district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai and the former Kannada University Vice-Chancellor Mallepuram G. Venkatesh would inaugurate the celebrations at 10 am on October 8 at the auditorium of Sharada Degree College in Kodialbail.

Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pundalika Halambi would deliver the Centenary message on the occasion in the presence of Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim, Tulunadu Education Trust president M.B. Puranik heads of various language academies, and writers.

The two-day event would be filled with various sessions on Kannada and culture, Mr. Kalkura said. While Varadaraja Chandragiri would speak on history of the Sahitya Parishat at 12.15 pm, Meenakshi Gowda and Benet Ammanna would talk about Dakshina Kannada’s cultural speciality, literature and social issues in the sesson chaired by Tukarama Poojary at 2.15 pm.

There would also be a session on women’s issues and challenges at 3.45 pm followed by Yakshagana Talamaddale Karna Parva at 5.15 pm.

October 9 would witness sessions on current affairs of Karnataka from 10 am followed by special lecture on Kota Shivarama Karantha by B. Vivek Rai at 11.30 am; talks on Kudmul Ranga Rao and Manjeshwara Govinda Pai at 12.15 pm and a Kavi Goshti at 2.15 pm.

The valedictory progrgamme would be held at 3.45 pm chaired by Mr. Kalkura in which Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor K. Byrappa would deliver the valedictory address. Lok Sabha Member Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs and MLCs from the region are expected to attend the valedictory.

The celebrations would also have various cultural competitions for students, book exhibition and sale and other related activities. Mr. Kalkura appealed for larger participation from the general public.