Karnataka literary body calls for flight announcements in Kannada

Top officials of Kannada Sahitya Parishad (KSP) and the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) met with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) Managing Director Hari Marar on Monday to discuss possible initiatives to promote Kannada language and the art and culture of the state at the airport.
The move comes as part of the airport’s collaboration with the Kannada Sahitya Parishad for the 87th edition of the Akhila Bharatha Kannada Saahitya Sammelana in Mandya, scheduled to take place from December 20-22.
The organisations requested Marar to make the first announcements on every flight landing or taking off from Bengaluru in Kannada. However, BIAL officials informed KSP that making the first announcements in Kannada would require a nod from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Following this, KSP Chairman Mahesh Joshi stated that he would write a letter to the ministry to make his case.
The organisation also requested the airport to include Kannada during in-flight announcements. However, a final decision regarding this matter will be left to the airline operators.
Another idea put forward by the KSP and KDA was the installation of Kannada book stalls at the airport. KDA Chairman Purushottama Bilimale claimed that the airport authorities, while reacting to the proposed initiative, raised the issue of a lack of buyers for such books.
The third request made by the organisations to promote the culture of Karnataka was the installation of caricatures and statues representing the Kannada heritage.
BIAL has agreed to increase the number of statues representing the culture of the state. The airport authority will also set up reception desks and photo booths to welcome the delegates arriving for the event. Furthermore, the airport will use digital media to display information about the event and engage with passengers through on-ground activities to promote the Kannada language.