Mangaluru: A total of eight eminent personalities from different walks of life have been chosen for the Sandesha Awards – 2016 instituted by the Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education. The names of winners were announced on Monday December 14.
The awardees are Dr HS Venkatesh Murthy (literature), Gladys Rego (Konkani literature), Devdas Kapikad (Tulu literature), Sugantha Sathiaraj (best teacher), Ustad Rafique Khan (art), Joel Pereira (Konkani music) and Thomas D’Souza (media). This year’s Sandesha Special Award will be bestowed on Educationist and Founder of Deenabandhu Trust, Chamarajanagar GS Jayadev.
The awards will be presented in a ceremony that will be held at Sandesha premises on January 16, 2016 starting at 5.30 pm.
Archbishop of Bengaluru Dr Bernard Moras will preside over the ceremony. Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar, Bishop of Ballari diocese Dr Henry D’Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru diocese Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Director of Sandesha Foundation Fr Victor Vijay Lobo and Chairman of Award Selection Committee Dr Na D’Souza will be the chief guests. Bishop of Udupi diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Mangaluru South MLA JR Lobo, MLC Ivan D’Souza and President of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Roy Castelino will be the guests of honour.
The awardee selection jury comprised Dr Na D’Souza, Richard Louis, Dr NaDa Shetty, Eric Ozario, Chandrakala Nanadavar and Sara Aboobacker.
Introduction
Dr HS Venkatesh Murthy – Sandesha Literature Award
Dr HS Venkatesh Murthy (born: 1944, Hodigere, Davanagere) began his career as a lecturer in Kannada in St Joesph College of Commerce, Bengaluru in 1973. His contribution to literature includes more than 75 writings of varied kinds. His collections of poems include Kriyaparva, Onamarada Giligalu, and Americadalli Billahabba. His plays include Hejjegalym Uriya Uyyale, Agniparva and Manthare.
Gladys Rego – Sandesha Konkani Literature Award
SP Gladys Sequeira (born: 1945, Bendur, Mangaluru) has brought out four volumes of short stories in Konkani, six works on folklore, two collections of stories. She has to her credit altogether 27 books which include short stories, folk literature, biography, research, etc. She has her own publishing agency named ‘Akash Prakashan’.
Devdas Kapikad – Sandesha Tulu Literature Award
Devdas Kapikad (born: Sajipa, Bantwal) has dedicated his life wholly to Tulu theatre and movies. Having set up a drama troupe called ‘Cha Parka’, he has written and staged around 50 plays, each of which have seen around 100 -200 performances in India and abroad. His play PudarDitiji has broken all records in the Tulu drama.
Sugantha Sathiaraj – Best Teacher Award
Sugantha Sathiaraj (born: Chennai) moved to Ballari and dedicated her entire life for the uplift of the people in the district. She spent seventeen years of her life as a teacher in English and Social Studies in St Philomena’s High School, Ballari. She was instrumental in providing education to more than thousand drop outs in Ballari. She has been working tirelessly towards women empowerment by providing them non conventional education and though various income generating and employment schemes and, thus, has brought cheers in hundreds of battered women of the district.
Ustad Rafique Khan – Sandesha Art Award
A renowned sitar maestro, Ustad Rafique Khan began practicing sitar at the young age of 9 and later graduated in music in Gandharva University, Mumbai. At a young age of 23, itself he won Mumbai’s prestigious Surmani Award. He has been recognized as the Top -Grade musician by the Akashavani. He is the sitar artist of Akashavani, Mangaluru. Ustad Rafiq Khan has rendered his performances in Savay Gandharv Music Concert, Pune, Sahu Maharaj Musical Concert, Kolhapur, Alva’s Virasat, Moodabidri, Manmohan Bhat Musical Concert, Jaipur, etc. He has also performed overseas in countries like Europe, America, the Gulf countries, Singapore, Russia, Malaysia, etc.
Alexander Joel Pereira – Sandesha Konkani Music Award
Joel Pereira has marked an unforgettable imprint on the Konkani music in Mangaluru. He is versatile in playing on a wide variety of musical instruments like keyboard, guitar, mandolin, accordion and sitar. An accomplished music composer and arranger, he has arranged music to over 350 albums. He has arranged voices for more than 1500 hymns and 120-plus songs.
Thomas D’Souza – Sandesha Media Award
Thomas D’Souza (born: 1955, Arasalu Shivamogga) nurtured his interests in sports, dramas and music right from his childhood. He has served the movie world as an owner of a cinema theatre, as a member, the honorary secretary and the vice president of the steering committee of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He has been the member of executive committee of Film Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed the president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce for 2014 -15 and has worked for the all-round development of the Kannada film industry. He has dedicated himself for the conservation of above 600 film theatres in Karnataka.
GS Jayadev – Sandesha Special Award
GS Jayadeva (61) took a voluntary retirement as lecturer in 2001. Settled in Chamarajanagar since 1992, he started the Deenabandhu Trust. The trust adopts children from government schools and funds their food, clothing and shelter. He has rendered services in Shaktidhama, a women rehabilitation centre in Mysuru and Vivekananda Tribal Welfare Centre, BR Hills.
