K. Satchidanandan in Conversation with Chandan Gowda
Focussing on the ideologies and writing of UR Ananthamurthy, the author of Samskara and Bharatipura, the session on the book A Life in the world: UR Ananthamurthy in conversation with Chandan Gowda was discussed here at the fest. K Satchidanandan was in conversation with Chandan Gowda, the author of the book where they talked about their relationship with UR Ananthamurthy. Focussing on the ideologies of Ananthamurthy, they discussed about the author as a friend and a writer. As a person who opposed discrimination based on caste, they also mentioned his ability to bring out the best in every institution he has been to.
Satchidanandan recollected his days with Ananthamurthy from the Kendra Sahithya Akademy and also shared his observations on the influence of Ram Manohar Lohia on Ananthamurthy. When asked about the experiences that Chandan had with Ananthamurthy, he recollected their college days and remembered him as an admirer of all the languages including the tribal languages. He said that Ananthamurthy supported socialism and was also a great supporter of Gandhian ideas. He also spoke about his role in the Navya(modern) movement in Kannada literature and how he experimented with his works in the early stages of his career. His support for Dalit literature without opposing other literary forms was also mentioned.
Discussing U R Ananthamurthy as an iconic writer, and a prominent figure in Kannada literature, the session touched upon the indelible mark the writer left his readers and admirers with.