K’taka leads govt school closures, Kannada at risk: Hema Pattenshetti

Pic: Writer opposes commercialisation of edu 18th Dharwad District Kannada Sahitya Sammelana; calls for public unity to save Kannada-medium schoolsDharwad: Senior writer and president of the 18th Dharwad District Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, Hema Pattenshetti, Monday said Karnataka is at the forefront of the growing closure of govt schools across the country.Presiding over the Sammelana at the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha, she opposed what she described as the govt's move to commercialise education, warning that treating education as a market commodity would have serious social consequences.Shutting down Kannada-medium schools is unacceptable and harmful to the language's future, she said, adding that the lack of public resistance is a major concern. Kannada schools cannot be saved unless citizens unite and raise their voices, she said, warning that the language's very identity is at risk.Pattenshetti said safeguarding and nurturing Kannada schools must be a govt priority. She urged economists, intellectuals, and policymakers who support school closures to recognise their political and cultural implications. "Education must not be handed over to private business interests," she said.She said Kannada should be the standard for learning, the medium of instruction, and employment, and added that multinational companies must prioritise Kannadigas to secure the language's future.While noting that technology and mobile platforms have expanded the use of Kannada, she questioned whether artificial intelligence can genuinely serve humanity's welfare.‘Literature must engage with society'Inaugurating the event, former Akkamahadevi Women's University vice-chancellor Sabiha Bhumigowda said literature must move beyond imagination and speak for the oppressed, women, and marginalised communities.She said women's voices are gaining space in literature and that feminist thought serves both as resistance and as a path towards equality. "Kannada is not just an emotion; it is a culture that teaches us how to live. From Vachana literature to modern protest writing, it has consistently driven social change," she said.Bhumigowda said contemporary literature requires rigorous research alongside creativity and urged that literary discussions reach the grassroots rather than remain limited to formal platforms.Call for peaceReferring to global conflicts, including tensions involving Iran, United States, and Israel, Bhumigowda expressed concern over the loss of innocent lives and urged people to oppose war and promote peace. She welcomed increased participation of women in anti-war movements and called for collective efforts to uphold harmony.