Doctors & Kannada! The First State-Level Conference of Doctors Writing in Kan by IMA

Doctors & Kannada! The First State-Level Conference of Doctors Writing in Kan by IMA

Doctors & Kannada! The First State-Level Conference of Doctors Writing in Kannada by State Indian Medical Association held at IMA Hall in Mangaluru

Mangaluru : The Indian Medical Association Mangaluru branch hosted the first-ever state-level Kannada physicians conference on 26 May 2019 at IMA Hall, near Milagres Church, Hampankatta, Mangaluru. The 93-year-old organization had taken the initiative to recognize and provide an opportunity to all doctors who have developed an interest in writing in the regional language. Since Doctors are excellent in the use of the language, with commendable vocabulary. There is a misconception that doctors speak only English, and have low proficiency in regional languages. Therefore this conference was organized with an aim to bring all these writers together and provide them with a platform.

The University of Mysore is also coming up with a glossary of medical terms in Kannada. Comprising eight volumes, the glossary will be named ‘Vaidya Vishwa Kosha’. The initiative was taken by Dr S P Yoganna, a cardiologist at Suyog Hospital, Mysore. These writings will help doctors reach out to people through different mediums. It is learnt that there are more than 200 prominent doctors with over hundreds of books published by about 25 of them. Prominent physician-writers like Dr N Someshwar, Dr G G Lakshman Prabhu, Dr Vijayalakshmi, and Dr Bhaskar Acharya addressed during this conference.

The inauguration of the conference was held on 26 May, and the chief guest for the occasion was Dr S Sachidananda, Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, and guests of honor were Dr Manu Baligar- State Kannada Sahitya Parishath President and Pradeep Kumar Kalkura- President of DK Kannada Sahitya Parishath. Various topics were discussed by the resource persons during the day long conference.

In his inaugural address, Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) Dr S. Sacchidanand urged doctors in general and Medical Council of India (MCI), in particular, to raise their voice against misleading advertisements related to health. Speaking at the first State-level conference of doctors writing in Kannada, Dr. Sachhidanand said that there are a lot of advertisements in print and visual media about claims on arresting hair loss and reducing body weight. “Doctors should fight such irrational claims made without any basis. The MCI should take the lead,” he said.

Such false claims can be effectively countered by doctors if they come out with literature giving the right knowledge to people. “Your (doctors) literary works will be effective if it is written in the way that people can understand,” he said. President of Kannada Sahitya Parishad Manu Baligar said that literary works by doctors has played a crucial role in making Kannada literature rich in content.

“You all are silently working in building Kannada language,” he said and added that such works mattered the most at a time when the juggernaut of English and Hindi was rolling. Earlier, there was a session on the concerns of doctors and it was conducted by Na. Someshwara, who is the host of Doordarshan Chandana channel’s popular quiz show “That Anta Heeli”.

The IMA presented the annual best Kannada writer awards to Karaveera Prabhu Yalakonda and D.S. Shubhalata. The IMA also organised an exhibition of books written by doctors. Among those on display included books written by doctors Girijamma, M.D. Surayakanth, H. Bhaskar Acharya and Saleem Nadaf.