Mangaluru: Sarvotham Shetty, president of the Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha, was conferred the prestigious ‘Ranga Chavadi’ award at the Town Hall on Friday, October 11.

Former vice-chancellor of the Hampi Kannada University Dr B A Vivek Rai presented the award and wished him and his wife Usha S Shetty success for their future endeavours. While budding singer Nishan Rai serenaded Sarvotham Shetty, writer Kadri Navaneeth Shetty read out his felicitation letter.

Receiving the award, Sarvotham Shetty said that the love towards the Tulu and Kannada languages is in his blood. “The award has only increased my responsibility to serve both the Kannada and Tulu artistes,” he said.

Meanwhile, “Bayya Mallige” director Vishwanath Shetty and comedy artist Chidananda Poojary were also felicitated on the same occasion.

Veteran playwright Dr Sanjeeva Dandakeri presided over the programme. Tulu scholar V G Pal welcomed the gathering and C A Sudheer Kumar Shetty Enmakaje proposed a vote of thanks.

Yadav Kotian of Divyaroopa Construction, entrepreneur and film producer Hareesh Bangera, Rotary Club Farangipet president Jayaram Shekha, Suratkal Bunt Association president Sudhakar Poonja Hosabettu, Dayananda Hejamady of Skanda Developers, Tulu Nataka Kalavidara Okkoota (R) president Kishore D Shetty and others were present.

After the programme Dr P Sanjeeva Dandekeri’s most remarkable and record-breaking Tulu drama “Bayya Mallige” was staged by the artistes of Gammath Kalavider, Dubai.