Film on Kittel, author of first major Kannada-English dictionary, to screen in Bengaluru on July 27
Bengaluru: A new film chronicling the life and legacy of Rev. Ferdinand Kittel, the 19th-century German missionary who compiled the first comprehensive Kannada-English dictionary, will be screened this weekend in Bengaluru. The screening will be followed by a talk by director Prashant Pandit.
Titled The Word and the Teacher, the trilingual documentary—made in English, Kannada, and German—delves into Kittel’s significant contributions to Kannada linguistics, particularly his landmark 70,000-word dictionary.
The project is a result of three years of research by Pandit, a filmmaker from Mysuru, who was first introduced to Kittel’s work in school, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Pandit initially struggled to find more information than what he had learnt in his childhood. “Indians don’t believe in documentation,” he remarked. In contrast, he found extensive records and archival material in Germany, which helped unearth what he describes as “many surprises” for the audience.
The film uses a first-person narrative, crafted from Kittel’s letters and reports. It has been shot across locations in South India and Germany and features archival footage. Notably, it also showcases an early Kannada typeface created by Kittel himself, which Pandit has now digitised. Once widely used in the 1860s, this typeface has been revived and made publicly accessible, DH added.
Reflecting on Kittel’s commitment to language and meaning, Pandit observed, “We live in a post-truth world where words have no fixed meaning,” adding that Kittel’s efforts to define language offer a striking contrast to today’s ambiguity.
Pandit hopes the film will prompt reflection, noting that in today's world, people are divided by numerous boundaries—politics, religion, and language—whereas Kittel had the courage to transcend them all.
The screening will take place on July 27, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. Entry is free. For more details and registration, visit bangaloreinternationalcentre.org
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Omarzai powers Afghanistan to 5-wicket win over UAE
New Delhi (PTI): Azmatullah Omarzai produced an all-round show to power Afghanistan to five-wicket win over United Arab Emirates in their Group D T20 World Cup fixture here on Monday.
Omarzai first returned with figures of 4/15 to help restrict UAE to 160 for 9.
He then played a match-winning cameo of 40 not out after Ibrahim Zadran scored 53 to take Afghanistan to their first win in the ongoing edition.
For UAE, Sohaib Khan scored his second consecutive fifty, smashing 68 off 48 balls while Alishan Sharafu contributed 31-ball 40.
Brief Score.
UAE 160 for 9 in 20 overs (Sohaib Khan 68, Alishan Sharafu 40; Azmatullah Omarzai 4/15).
Afghanistan 162 for 5 in 19.2 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 53; Azmatullah Omarzai 40 not out; Muhammad Arfan 2/30, Junaid Siddique 2/23).
