Dharwad, known as the ‘City of Letters’ and a hub of Hindustani music, is home to five of the 24 national memorial trusts in the state, named after famous personalities from the city.
The number will be six soon as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his Budget, announced the formation of the Dr M M Kalburgi National Memorial Trust, in the name of thinker and researcher Dr M M Kalburgi.
The first national trust, Da Ra Bendre Trust, was formed in Dharwad in 2009.
But questions are being raised whether the trusts have succeeded in fulfilling their objectives and whether there is sufficient funding and support from the government.
The trusts that exist now are in the name of Jnanpith awardee poet laureate Dr Da Raa Bendre, noted artist D V Halabhavi, Hindustani classical vocalists Dr Mallikarjun Mansur, Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru and Karnataka Kulapurohita Alur Venkatrao.
Though these Trusts, in their initial years, were enthusiastic in organising literary, cultural and research activities and published several books, they gradually became dormant.
Their activities are now confined to organising functions to mark the birth and death anniversaries of the stalwarts. This has not gone down well with people interested in literature, arts, music and research.
“We want these Trusts to organise literary interactions, discussions and debates,” said Sharanbasappa Mantur, a student of post-graduation in Dharwad.
While the managers of these Trusts rue that lack of adequate funding has been a constraint in organising programmes, the Kannada and culture department claims that the Trusts have failed to use the available funds judiciously. This is also the opinion of the people privy to the functioning of the Trusts.
Between 2013 and 2018, the government earmarked Rs 15 lakh per year to each Trust for organising year-long activities and salaries to staff.
However, post-Covid, the funding has reduced drastically. Since 2019, these Trusts have been receiving Rs 8 lakh annually, said Kannada and culture department assistant director Kumar Bekkeri. He said the Trusts are funded based on the activities they undertake.
The Rs 1.35 crore sanctioned to Dr Basavaraj Rajguru Trust to construct a cultural hall is lying unspent, he said. The Dr Mallikarjun Mansur Trust is the only Trust which has been utilising the funds to conduct music programmes and teach music, he said.
Shamsunder Bidarkundi, former chairman of the Bendre Trust, feels except for the trusts in the names of Bendre and Kuvempu, known as the two eyes of Karnataka, other trusts are not doing much.
Chairmen are being appointed through the backdoor and have no knowledge about the personalities in whose names the trusts were formed. The Bendre Trust is an example for this, Bidarkundi said.
He said, “Kalburgi was founder chairman and I succeeded him. The Trust members toured extensively and held programmes. But in the last five years, no activity on Bendre is taking place.”
“The Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust at Kuppalli in Thirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga district has set high standards in organising programmes and bringing out publications. The trust has been holding Kannada literary programmes in schools and colleges. Such an effort is needed by all trusts,” said Bidarkundi.
Dr D M Hiremath, Bendre Trust chairman, rues that the funding for the Trusts has declined over the years.
“Of the Rs 8 lakh that they get each year, Rs 6 lakh is spent on salaries. The government must increase the funding to make the Trusts vibrant,” he said.
To query on the Trusts not using deposit money, Hiremath said he was just following his predecessors, who also did not use the deposits kept in banks.
“There is abundant scope for the Trusts to help young researchers take up research, facilitiate poor meritorious students get access to higher education, bring out books on various subjects in Kannada and also hold national-level music festivals in Dharwad. But the Trusts are not keen on taking up new initiatives,” said Shrinivas Deshpande, a literature lover from Dharwad.
Senior writer Hema Pattenshetti says it is unfortunate that no woman is appointed to the trusts.
“There are over 26 trusts in the state. But none of them has a woman chief. It is sad that the trust chairmen have not been changed for several years, resulting in them becoming stagnant,” she said.
“The government should appoint able people who have innovative ideas and not succumb to pressures in appointments,” said writer Siddhaling Pattenshetti.
Only a few Trusts have onboarded a member of the family of the personality in whose name it is formed. Even in cases where a family member is included, he or she doesn’t have much say in the running of the Trust.