Sharjah: The Karnataka Sangha Sharjah (KSS) celebrated their 17th anniversary on Friday, November 15, at the Sharjah Indian Association Auditorium, Sharjah at 4 PM. On the occasion, they also celebrated the 64th Karnataka Rajyotsava, Children’s Day and ‘Mayura Vishwamanya Kannadiga’ Award presentation.

The programme was inaugurated with the hoisting of Karnataka’s flag by the convener, Mark Denis and all the executive committee members of the KSS.

Mark Denis read out the progress report of the KSS and its activities throughout the years.

The students of the Symphony Music Institute kick-started the cultural programme with a welcome dance, which was well-liked. This was followed by classical, semi-classical, folk and cinematic dance performances by the students and members of the Radical Dance Studio, Billawas Dubai, Vishwakarma Seva Samithi, Disciples of Mamatha, Sukanya, and Kannada Pata Shale.

‘Mayura Vishwamanya Kannadiga’ award presented to Ramachandra Hegde

After the inauguration, the main guests of the evening were welcomed to the stage and honoured with flower bouquets and shawls designed to look like the Karnataka flag.

KSS president Anand Bailoor welcomed the gathering and announced the awardees.

Later MLA of Karnataka State Umanath Kotian and MD of Namma Kudla TV Channel Karkera arrived and were honoured.

Umanath Kotian spoke on the occasion and said that he prefers to be called a social worker instead of a leader. He highlighted some of the prevailing issues and promised to serve his people to the best of his abilities.

This year the ‘Mayura Vishwamanya Kannadiga’ award was presented to simple and big-hearted businessman Ramachandra Hegde of Amchigele Samaj, who is also the Managing Director of Spraytek Construction & Coating Company in Dubai. He, along with his wife Kalpana Hegde and daughters Archana and Aishwarya, received the award with a bouquet, shawl, appreciation letter and fruit basket in the glittering ceremony.

Hegde thanked the organization and appealed to the audience to promote Kannada by teaching it to children and also said that he is now committed to doing more for the language and society at large.

Long-serving member of the Sangha, Vishwanath Shetty and his wife, Usha Shetty were also felicitated and honoured on the occasion. He was bestowed with a shawl, appreciation letter and a memento.

All the sponsors, well-wishers, participants, community heads of various organization and media persons were also honoured with a shawl and memento.

Kochikar Devadas Pai honoured with ‘Sangeetha Kala Rathna’ award

Vidwan Sitar Ratna Kochikar Devdas Pai, who was invited exclusively for the programme, performed during the Karnataka Sangha Sharjah anniversary celebration. He was accompanied by Manoj Kumar on the Tabla. This was his maiden performance in Dubai and he was appreciated by all while he performed ‘Bhagyada Laxmi Baaramaa’, ‘Shankarabharana’ and a few other Kannada film songs.

Devdas Pai has performed all over the world and receives appreciation and awards wherever he goes.

For his contribution to Indian music, Karnataka Sangha Sharjah president and the members honoured him with the ‘Sangeetha Kala Rathna’ award on the occasion.

Children’s Day celebration

As mentioned before, Children’s Day (which is celebrated in India on November 14) was also celebrated on the occasion. Sannidhi V Shetty, Prapthi Pakkala, Amogha Varsha Bhat, Ninadh Bhat, Aisiri Roshan Shetty, Amisha, Shaun Christen, Annika Siona, Soorya Santosh and Shreyas Krishna staged their performances, which were lauded by the members of the audience.

Arathi Adiga, Vighnesh and Amogha Bhat compered the programme.

UAE Karnataka NRI Forum president Praveen Kumar Shetty, Emsquare Engineering Managing Director Mohammed Mustafa, Indian Association Sharjah president I.P. Johnson, Karnataka Sangha Sharjah convener Mark Denis, former Karnataka Sangha Sharjah president Ganesh Rai, General Secretary Noel Almeida, K.B. Ramesh of Al Ain Karnataka Sangha and some of their members were also present on the occasion.