Sanskrit daily celebrates 30th anniversary

MYSORE: The country's only Sanskrit daily, 'Sudharma' being published from Mysore, celebrated its 38th anniversary on Sunday, confounding cynics who had 'predicted' that the paper would fold up within a year of its publication.

Speakers at the function organised to celebrate the anniversary recalled that skeptics had mocked at Pandit K N Varadaraja Iyengar when he launched Sudharma 38 years ago, cautioning him against his 'misadventure'.

As erudite scholar, Prof H V Nagaraja Rao said even the well-intentioned ones had doubts as to whether Sanskrit language as a medium had vocabulary enough to cover the contemporary and complex day to day activities and developments.

Speakers who included Seer Rangapriyaahadesikar of Asthangayoga Vijnana Mandira, Bangalore, A Ramaswamy,principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Karnataka government, Dr K B S Rajan, Member,Central Administrative Tribunal,Ernakulam,Amsi Prasanna, District Journalists" Association President and Vidwan T V Satyanarayana, paid rich tributes to the lateVaradaraja Iyengar for his services to the cause of Sanskrit and congratulated his son and editor for continuing the 'legacy' left behind by his father.

A salient feature of the celebrations was that most speakers spoke eloquently and effortlessly in fluent Sanskrit.

Two Sanskrit Pandits, Kokkada Venkataramana Bhat of Mandya and Ambella Narayanasarma of Virajpet were honoured on the occasion.