Mangaluru: This year’s coveted Karavali Gaurava award will be bestowed on Director of Vishwas Trust Dr Olinda Pereira for her immense contribution towards social service and education in the past 60 years.

The award constituted by the District Administration comprises of a shield and citation.

School of Social Work, started by Dr Olinda in 1961 is the first institution to impart doctorate courses in Karnataka. She also served as its Principal from its inception to 1984. Dr Olinda has authored several books including Understanding Children,
Adjustment and its Correlates among Pre-adolescents, Domestic Workers Struggle etc.

After getting trained in Women’s Research Centre in Manila, Philippines, she worked as the Administrative Officer at Provincial House in Nairobia, Kenya and as a lecturer at Mak Master University, Hamilton in Canada.

She has also rendered useful contribution in setting up the Community Development Centre and a school for the visually impaired in Mangaluru and an anganawadi centre in Ullal among many others.

Olinda, who is now in her 90s still lends her useful hands in various social activities.

She has been a recipient of numerous awards including Hamilton University’s Mahatma Gandhi Peace Prize, Canada (1979), Sandesh Award for social service (2002), Woman of the Year by Catholic Chamber of Commerce, Mangaluru (2009) and Veera Rani Abbakka Award (2011).

The award will be presented at Kadri Park’s Cultural Auditorium on January 26 at 6.30pm.