Mangaluru: Literature is abreast with nature and its components such as culture and folklore. Finest literature has always been inspired by nature. There is a sweet relationship between culture and literature,” said writer and 22nd Dakshina Kannada district Kannada literary convention president A P Malati.

She was speaking during the inauguration of the three-day district Kannada literary convention at Kolambe Puttanna Gowda Vedike at Kulkunda Shiva Rao (Niranjana) Auditorium, near Kukke Subrahmanya Temple in Sullia taluk, on Monday.

She opined that neglecting agriculture will have its impact on culture. This will further affect literature. The writer, meanwhile, stressed the significance of communal harmony for the development of language.

A P Malati called upon the people to shun the obsession for English medium. The Kannada language will be at stake if today’s children forget the script. They will also be deprived of a treasure of knowledge.

Inaugurating the literary convention, Kannada Development Authority chairman S G Siddaramaih said that any language should not be imposed on people. It is the need of the hour to defend the attack on regional languages. There are many regional languages that are not included in the eighth schedule of our constitutional. They should not be ignored and options in these languages should be provided to answer competitive examinations.

Dr Ballapadavu Madhava Upadhyaya, Dr Girish Bharadwaj, prof K E Radhakrishna, Kadri Prabhakar Adiga, Kudupu Narasimha Tantri, Mahabala Shetty, Dr S N Udupa and K S Anand were felicitated by Kuvempu University former vice chancellor K Chidananda Gowda.

Books authored by eight writers were released on the occasion. Exhibition stalls were inaugurated. Sullia MLA S Angara, district literary convention former president K Chinnapa Gowda, DK district Kannada Sahitya Parishat Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and others were present.