Shravanabelagola (Karnataka), October 23, 2005: “Languages divide people, but literary works unite people”, opined Prof.Chandrashekar Kambara, former Vice Chancellor of the Kannada University, Hampi. He was speaking on the occasion of the valedictory function of the All Karnataka Jain Kannada Sahitya Conference. Speaking on the occasion Prof.N.S.Lakshminarayana Bhatt recalled the contribution of Jain poets towards the enrichment of Kannada language and called upon the people to preserve the same.
Well known writer on Jainism Dr.Shanthinatha Dibbada was the chief guest of the speaking. In his address to the gathering he opined that the Jaina works act as a beacon light to the people to proceed in the right path of dharma. Dr.Balasaheb Lokapure of Bagalkot spoke on the works of Dr.Ham.Pa.Nagarajaiah the president of the conference. He presented a birds eye view of his works and felt that Dr.Ham.Pa.Na. was an institution in himself.
In his concluding address at the conference Dr.Ham.Pa.Na. spoke in detail about the association and contribution of Jains, Jaina writers and Jaina poets to the Kannada language. He felt that the Jains rightly deserve the credit of placing Kannada in an elevated position linguistically.
In his address to the delegated Swasti Sri Charukeerthiji Bhattarakha Swamiji the pontiff of the Jain Mutt opined that very little has been done to bring Prakrit, Sanskrit and other language works to Kannada and called upon the Jaina scholars in this direction. The president of the conference was felicitated in an attractive function. – Jain Heritage Centres News Service (JHCNS)