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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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
