Karantha Award 2011

Photo Courtesy: Janardan Kodavoor

Report: Michael Rodrigues/ Mangalorean
Udupi: The annual 'Dr Kota Shivarama Karanth Native Village Award' (HuTToora Prashasti) was conferred on Salumara Thimmakka of Bangalore, at a colourful function held at Kota on Wednesday, Oct 12. The Karanth Memorial Kala Bhavan was also dedicated to the society on the same occasion. In his message, Gowda congratulated her on her love of trees by planting hundreds of trees along the roads near Bangalore. He said that in accordance with her wish, setting up of a government hospital has been approved in her village. A sum of Rs 5 lakh would be placed in a bank, so that she could sustain herself from its interest. She would also be given a house in Bangalore and healthcare would be provided.

Jagadish Shettar in his speech said that Dr Karanth had great interest in moving arts. On a personal note, Shettar said, he himself had been greatly influenced by him. He further said that the state government the state was in the forefront in implementing decentralization of power. During the former chief minister's tenure, it was agreed that grants to gram panchayats on a population-based pro-rata basis to the tune of Rs 9, 12 and 15 lakh be given, but for some reasons it had not been implemented. He said he would take up the matter with the present chief minister.

Speaking further Shettar said that after the BJP government came to power, an annual grant of Rs 1 crore each was being given to taluk and zilla panchayat and now there was a proposal to raise to Rs 2 crore. Minister Dr V S Acharya, who was the chief guest, said that the Kala Bhavan was a marvellous edifice, and wished that more programmed on creating awareness, a subject close to Dr Karanth's heart, be held in it.

The awardee was introduced by Yakshagana artiste Kota Shridhar Hande in a special way, by singing the lyrics set to the tune of a folk song.

State Third Finance Commission implementation committee chairman A G Kodgi unveiled a bronze bust of Dr Karanth. Earlier, Thimmakka was escorted to the venue of the function in an open vehicle in a procession, accompanied by music played on traditional horns and trumpets and given a 'purnakumbha' welcome.

The function was presided over by Kotatattu gram panchayat president Raghu Thinagalaya. MLA Raghupathi Bhat, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, deputy commissioner Dr M T Reju, State Tobacco Development Corporation chairman B N Shankar Poojary, TP president Devadas Hebbar, ZP CEO S V Prabhakar Sharma, ZP members Sunita Rajaram, TP members Raghavendra Kanchan, Dr Karanth anniversary celebration committee president Anand C Kunder, ZP vice president Jyoti Shetty, TP CEO Manjunathaiah and others were present on the occasion.

The Karanth HuTToora Prashasti was instituted by the Kotatattu gram panchayat in 2005. M Veerappa Moily in 2005, former Lokayukta N Venkatachalaih in 2006, educationist K R Hande in 2007, journalist Ravi Belagere in 2008, Yakshagana exponent Chittani Ramachandra Hegde in 2009, film-maker Girish Kasaravalli in 2010 have been the earlier recipients.