Loving a country and govt are different: Deepa Bhasthi

Mangaluru: Loving a country and loving a govt are two entirely different things, said Booker Prize-winning translator and writer Deepa Bhasthi, asserting that democracy survives only when citizens are free to question authority and express dissent. Delivering the annual PP Gomathi Memorial Oration on the topic, ‘Thinking as Dissent: Some Thoughts on Language and the World,’ on Tuesday, Bhasthi said, “A govt, anywhere in the world, is not the country and it will never be. Democracy guarantees citizens the right to question authority and express dissent through writing, speeches and other forms of expression. When dissent is suppressed, it can no longer be called democracy.”

The programme was jointly organised by PP Gomathi Memorial Education Trust, Mangalore University, DK district Kannada sahitya parishat and Dakshina Kannada working journalists' association. Bhasthi said, “Language carries community, art, architecture, ancestry and storie and Kannada is an emotion.

She described hate as a dangerous emotion often exploited by those in power, while love remained a far stronger force capable of strengthening society. She stressed that Kannada was not the entirety of Karnataka’s linguistic identity. The state, she noted, is home to several vibrant languages including Tulu, Beary, Kodava, Malayalam and Dakhani.

Praising Karnataka’s multilingual culture, she said multilingualism was one of the greatest strengths of both Karnataka and India. According to her, the idea of monolingualism is rooted in colonial traditions, and attempts to impose a single language on diverse populations should be resisted.

Responding to a question on Hindi imposition, Bhasthi said there was no opposition to Hindi as a language. “Hindi is a beautiful language. However, it should not be used as a weapon to divide people,” she said. Similarly, the issue was not with religions such as Hinduism or Islam, but with radical forces that misuse and misinterpret them.

She questioned the notion of a ‘proper’ English and argued that Indian English should be valued and celebrated just as Irish or Caribbean English are. When asked whether she would translate the Manusmriti, Bhasthi said she was not a full-time translator and would consider the possibility only if the opportunity and interest aligned. Speaking about her translation of Hridaya Deepa, she said extensive research helped her approach the work beyond religious boundaries. “Patriarchy does not spare anyone. The core of these stories is universal,” she said.

Bhasthi also expressed strong reservations about artificial intelligence in creative fields. While acknowledging its benefits in medicine and scientific research, she said AI-generated books, paintings and artworks undermined creativity. “AI is an insult to writers, painters and artists. It rejects the humanity at the heart of creative work,” she said, urging students to critically evaluate online content and read more poetry, e-books and audiobooks.

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MU’s gift to Deepa

Mangalore University vice-chancellor Prof PL Dharma announced that the university would introduce an open elective course on mass communication for humanities students in recognition of Bhasthi’s achievements. He said students of Political Science would have the option of studying ‘Media and Politics’as an open elective. “This will be a gift to Deepa from Mangalore University,” he said.