In a move to recognise the Tulu language and standardise its usage in writing, the Tulu font of ‘Mandara’ was launched by Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat at the Udupi Press Club on Monday, July 19. At the event, the MLA also announced that all the MLAs from both districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada will speak in Tulu during the next winter session of the Karnataka State legislature. The font which has been independently developed by Prahlad Tantry is adaptable to computers and is expected to help stenographers in the House to transcribe the speech made by leaders.
ಉಡುಪಿ ಪ್ರೆಸ್ ಕ್ಲಬ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಲಾದ "ತುಳು ಲಿಪಿ ಮಂದಾರ" ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿ "ತುಳು ಲಿಪಿ ಮಂದಾರ" ವನ್ನು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗೊಳಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.@BSYBJP @blsanthosh @BJP4Karnataka @BJP4Udupi @KotasBJP @ShobhaBJP @ArvindLBJP pic.twitter.com/uA67QSK31B
— MLA Raghupathi Bhat BJP (@RaghupathiBhat) July 19, 2021
“In the next winter session of the Legislative Assembly, I’m hopeful that the Speaker will allow MLAs from the region to speak in Tulu. The other MLAs from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada are also most likely to support this,” MLA Raghupathi Bhat told TNM. He further added that previously MLAs were asked to strictly speak in Kannada for ease of transcription, however, he has conveyed that arrangements from his side can be made to appoint more Tulu-speaking stenographers, if necessary. In 2018, Bhat who was then newly-elected as the MLA had said that he would do his best to get Tulu the status of an official language and discussed the matter in the Assembly.
Kaup MLA Lalaji Mendon extended his support and said, “We have been supporting the citizens and their call to include Tulu as an official language. So we are more than happy to be able to speak in our language on the floor of the legislature, provided that the Speaker allows for it.” On the other hand, Mangalore MLA UT Khader held a slightly different view on the subject. “I have no objection to the Udupi MLA’s view but I personally feel that language is a way to communicate and reach as many people as possible. Speaking Tulu in the Assembly might not let us convey our thoughts to those who do not understand it.” He added that Tulu language needs to be given the official language status and the culture needs to be preserved, but enforcing it in the State Assembly where Kannada is formally used, might not be the ideal way.
Following the release of ‘Mandara’ font from the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Minister of Kannada and Culture Arvind Limbavali on Monday, approved the script to be further incorporated in a universally accepted Unicode platform, as per formalities. Earlier this month, the minister had informed that a comprehensive proposal had been submitted to get the central government’s approval on the inclusion of Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution which has 22 other languages.
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ತುಳು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿಯು ಬಹು ಉತ್ಸಾಹ ಹಾಗೂ ಕಾಳಜಿಯಿಂದ ರೂಪಿಸಿದ ತುಳು ಲಿಪಿಯನ್ನು ಸೂಕ್ತವಾಗಿ ಯುನಿಕೋಡ್ ನಕಾಶೆ ಪಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಸೇರಿಸಲು ಇಂದು ಅನುಮೋದನೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ. 1/2 #Tuluscript pic.twitter.com/21bylktX8F
— Aravind Limbavali (@ArvindLBJP) July 19, 2021
The long-drawn movement concerning the official status of Tulu has been the subject of many discussions in recent years.The latest extension of the 2017 #TuluToThe8thSchedule social media campaign gained momentum in June this year, with over 2.5 lakh tweets during the day. In 2019, TNM had reported on a similar campaign which had garnered widespread support of leaders, celebrities and public in the coastal belt of Karnataka. The Karnataka government introduced Tulu language in schools a few years ago. However, as per the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy the language is eligible to receive recognition from the national Sahitya Akademi only after it’s declared an official language.
Tulu is a Dravidian language spoken mainly in two coastal districts Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala. It is said to be one of the oldest Dravidian languages and as per the 2011 Census report, there are over 18.4 lakh Tulu-speaking people in the country.