|
Kannadigas to descend
on Detroit to boost ties
By Shiva Kumar N D
DH News Service
BANGALORE, April 15
Tuesday, April 15, 2002
Deccan Herald
As many as 4,000 widely scattered expatriate Kannadigas are expected
to descend on Detroit, Michigan from August 30 to September 1 to
forge their cultural, social and business contacts. The common linguistic
and cultural heritage will bring them together as they straddle
the cultural divide in their adopted country. The occasion - World
Kannada Conference hosted by the Association of Kannada Kootas of
America (AKKA).
The ambitious conference in a land where nearly 70,000 Kannadigas
live is being organised by the Akka, established in 1998 to preserve
and promote Kannada language and culture among Kannadigas residing
in North America. The conference comprises cultural programmes,
scrumptious food, and plenty of professional networking opportunities.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Akka President Amarnath Gowda said, “the
conference will also provide an opportunity to create an effective
network of Kannada organisations (Kannada kootas in different parts
of the country) to further common goals and aspirations.
When asked about the response, Mr Gowda said, the response is tremendous.
About 2,200 people attended the previous millennium conference at
Houston in 2000. This time we are expecting around 4,000 participants
from different parts of the USA, Canada, Singapore, South Africa
and Gulf countries. Chief Minister S M Krishna, Minister of State
for Kannada and Culture Rani Satish, and celebrities Dr Raj Kumar,
Vishnu Vardhan, B Sarojadevi, Bharathi, Ambarish, Ananthnag, Hamsalekha,
and poets G S Shivarudrappa and K S Nissar Ahmed would be participating
from the State, he said.
Akka has plans to mobilise the estimated budget of 5 lakh dollars
for the conference through registration fees, advertisements in
the souvenir, sponsorship from the Indian community members, and
exhibition charges.
PROGRAMMES: Cultural programmes include Yakshagana, dollu kunitha,
visuals on tourism and historic places in Karnataka, dance, music,
drama, fashion show and Kavi Sammelana.
Workshops and seminars will be held on entrepreunership, technology
transfer, Kannada software Baraha, painting, yoga, vedic, arts and
crafts.
Besides, there will be sessions on Continuing Medical Education
on topics such as asthma and yoga, breast cancer, arthritis and
alternative medicine.
Also, the Youth Forum and the Women's Forum will have separate programmes
during the conference. Dr Kudur Murali is the convener of 2002 conference.
|
