Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, May 31: Former Lokayukta of Karnataka and retired Supreme Court judge, Justice N Santosh Hegde, has been chosen for this year's ‘Padmavibhushan George Fernandes Memorial National Award’.
The award is instituted by the Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti, a non-governmental organisation known for its environmental and development-related work in coastal Karnataka.
The award ceremony will be held on June 8 at 10 am at the Ocean Pearl auditorium in Times Square Building, Kalsanka, Udupi. Law minister H K Patil will be the chief guest. The event will be presided over by the Samiti's president Nityanand D Kotian, while its founder, Tonse Jayakrishna A Shetty, will deliver the keynote address.

Dignitaries attending the function include Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojari, Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLC Ivan D'Souza, multilingual film actor Suman Talwar Poojary, Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna, former MLC and Samiti’s Advisor Captain Ganesh Karnik and MLC S L Bhoje Gowda.
Samiti's honorary president Dr B M Hegde, honorary general secretary Mundkur Surendra Salian, honorary Treasurer Sadanand N Acharya, district chairman Harieshkumar M Shetty, district vice chairman Ramchandra Baikampady, State co ordinator K P Jagadeesh Adhikari, district secretaries G T Acharya and Surendra Mendon and district treasurer Prabhakar Bangera Karkala have appealed to members and well-wishers to participate and support the event.
About Jayashreekrishna Parisara Premi Samiti (NGO)
Founded under the leadership of well-known social worker and entrepreneur Tonse Jayakrishna Shetty, the Samiti has spent the last the last 25 years working towards sustainable development in the undivided Dakshina Kannada region. It encourages environmentally-friendly industrialisation and job creation through small, medium, and large-scale industries.
The Samiti has gained national and international recognition for its consistent environmental advocacy and development initiatives across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Former presidents Prakash L Shetty, Vishwanath Mada, Subhash Shetty, Harieshkumar Shetty, Dharmapala U Devadiga and L V Amin have played major roles in the organisation's growth. Presently, president Nityananda D Kotian and his team are leading from the front.
Commitment to coastal development
The Samiti said it continues to work closely with various Tulu-Kannada and community-based organisations in Mumbai. With a focus on both environmental conservation and industrial growth, it aims to bring employment and economic development to local communities while ensuring ecological balance in the undivided Dakshina Kannada region.