Orlando (Florida): The third World Kannada Convention organised by the North American Kannada Association culture (AKKA) began on Sep 4, 2004 in Orlando, Florida.

The convention was thrown open with the apprehension of typhoon 'Frances' which was about to hit the coast of the Sunshine State any moment. That's when the host, Shrigandha Kannada Association of Florida, and AKKA (America Kannada Kootagala Association) management decided to go on with the convention as planned.

Probably there were two main reasons behind this decision; the huge budget of the convention, and a large number of invitees, delegates and VIPs from various parts of the world had gathered in Florida by that time. The venue, 'Gaylord Farms Resorts' was strong enough to face any typhoon, which was another reason to go ahead with the convention as planned.

A grand procession showcasing the heritage and culture of Karnataka set the tone for the inauguration.

A grand procession portraying the heritage and culture of Karnataka showcasing the grandeur and opulence of the Vijayanagar Empire, set the tone for the inauguration. Representatives of various regional associations from all over US also marched in the procession till the auditorium. The stage was set to welcome the delegates in a traditional style.

Convention chief Dr Renuka Ramappa welcomed the chief guests, including Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, former Chief Minister S M Krishna, Consulate General of Huston Skand Tayaal, president of Kannada Development Board Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Chief Secretary of Karnataka K K Mishra, president of AKKA Dr Kuduru Murali. Dr Ramappa gave a brief profile of the guests, which was followed by the inauguration of the convention by lighting the lamp.

Making the inaugural speech, Siddaramaiah lauded the yearning for Kannada by non-resident Kannadigas. He expressed his sense of worth for Kannada, vibrant culture and heritage of Karnataka, and the ecological prosperity of Karnataka. He also emphasised that non-resident Kannadigas must play a major role in the development of Karnataka.

Consulate General Skand Tayaal highlighted the role of citizens in the development of primary education in their countries. Speaking on the irony between progress and poverty, Tayaal expressed his concerns for the development of people of interior Karnataka who are suffering from population explosion and lack of basic infrastructure.

In his evoking speech, Baraguru Ramachandrappa threw light upon the importance of such conventions, which bridge the gap between the materialistic world and human values. The audience gave a standing ovation to Ramachandrappa.

Music recitals dance, and other cultural programmes followed this. S P Balasubramanyam and his team entertained the audience with a bunch of melodious film songs.