September 27: Jnanpith awardee, senior writer Dr. Chandrashekhara Kambara was selected as the President of the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelan to be held at Dharwad in December.

In a Kannada Sahitya Parishad executive committee and office-bearers meeting held at Gadag on Thursday, Dr. Chandrashekhar Kambar was selected unanimously. Names of writers G.S. Amura, Gurulinga Kapase, Siddalinga Pattanashetty, Veena Shanteshwara, Dr. Chennanna Valikara, Panchakshari Hiremath and H.S. Venkateshmurthy were discussed in a KSP office-bearers meeting held earlier in Dharwad. Finally, the name of Dr. Kambara was selected. It was decided in November 2016 to conduct the Sammelan in Dharwad on December 7, 8 and 9, it is said.

Sahitya Sammelan was held earlier in Dharwad in 1918, 1940 and 1947. In 1918, R. Narasimhachar was the President, while Y. Chandrashekar Shastry in 1940 and Kuvempu was the President in 1957.

Chandrashekara Kambara was born on January 2, 1937 to Basavanneppa and Channamma Kambara of Ghodageri in Belagavi district. He has completed his B.A in Lingaraj College in Belagavi, M.A and PhD from the Karnataka University and served as the professor in Bengaluru University. He also served as the Janapada Academy President, National School of Drama Director, and the first Vice Chancellor of the Hampi Kannada university.

Dr. Chandrashekara Kambara had made his own works Karimayi, Sangeeta and Kaadu Kudure novels as films. He has got Kannada Rajyotsava award, Kendra Sahitya Academy award for Siri Sampige drama, Padma Shri in 2001, Nadoja award from Kannada University in 2004, Kumaran Asan award from Kerala, Tagore Award and prestigious Jnanpith award in 2010. Now, Prof Kambar was selected as the President of the 84th Sahitya Sammelan, announced KSP state President Dr. Manu Baligar at Gadag.



Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi: The Union Budget for 2025 is set to be presented in Parliament on February 1 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. As the nation awaits the financial roadmap of the third term of Narendra Modi-led government, a look back at the 1973-74 budget reveals one of India's most financially challenging periods.

The 1973-74 budget, presented by then-Finance Minister Yashwantrao Chavan under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, is often referred to as the ‘Black Budget’ due to its unprecedented fiscal deficit of ₹550 crore. This was a significant sum at the time, reflecting the severe economic strain India faced in the aftermath of the 1971 war with Pakistan.

The war had drained government resources, and a series of natural disasters, including drought, led to a sharp decline in agricultural production. This worsened the financial crisis, with declining revenues and rising expenditures. Presenting the budget, Chavan acknowledged the economic distress, stating that the drought had caused a major drop in food grain production, which contributed to the widening deficit.

In response, the government allocated ₹56 crore for the nationalisation of coal mines, insurance companies, and the Indian Copper Corporation. The move aimed to strengthen the energy sector and ensure state control over key industries. However, the large deficit forced the government to implement cost-cutting measures and financial discipline in subsequent years.

As the Modi 3.0 government prepares to unveil the 2025-26 budget, various sectors are putting forth their demands, including tax reliefs and economic stimulus measures. Social media is rife with memes attacking the Finance Minsiter for the tax policies and it's impact on the middle class. The government’s first estimates project a 7.3% GDP growth for 2023-24, shaping expectations for the upcoming budget.