Mangalore: Tulu Sahitya Academy Awards Conferred, Coastal Language Hailed
 
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Jun 16: The honorary and book awards instituted by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy for the year 2011 were presented at a ceremony held at Town Hall here on Saturday June 16.
 
The honorary awards were conferred on Bola Chittaranjandas Shetty, Sitaram Shetty, T A Shreenivas for their contribution in the field of literature, theatre and cinema respectively. The book awards were conferred on Puttige Padmanabha Rai, Dr Ashok Alva, Rathnakar Rao Kavoor for their contribution in the field of novel, short story and drama respectively.

Giving away the honorary awards, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that Tulu language is backed by a superior culture. "Though fear persisted earlier about the sustainance of Tulu, now the language has been witnessing a revival with good works being brought out in it," he said, adding that the state government had released Rs 44 lac for the academy, and that the academy has been making the best use of it.
 
MLA Krishna J Palemar, after handing over the book awards said that Tulu should be wholeheartedly welcomed by all Tuluvas as it is their mother tongue. He agreed to grant Rs 10 lac for the Tulu Bhavan building coming up near Urva Stores.
 
On the occasion renowned litterateur Hampa Nagarajaiah released a book titled ‘Kavigalu Kanda Tulunadu’ compiled by Vasanth Kumar Perla.

Speaking on the occasion, Hampa Nagarajaih said that Tulu shows has a unique harmonious relation with Kannada language. "There is no other example elsewhere in the world of two languages having such a pleasant relationship. Tulu has also bonded different castes and religions. Out of the 2,600 languages around the world, 600 languages will be on the verge of extinct by 2018, and that we must try to prevent from happening," he said.
 
The programme was inaugurated by folk expert Bannanje Babu Amin. President of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy president Umanath Kotian welcomed. Mayor Gulzar Banu, MLA Kota Shreenivas Poojary, Capt Ganesh Karnik, ZP president K T Shailaja Bhat, president of Udupi zilla panchayat Katapady Shankar Poojary, movie director Ram Shetty among others were present.

On the occasion Aithappa Naik, a school teacher of Uppinangady, who had taken keen interest in teaching Tulu in government higher primary school at Uppinangady was felicitated.
 
A skit 'Tittiri Majal' by artistes of Nesara, Guthigar was staged prior to the stage programme. Later, a Tulu drama 'Tulunada Beere Devu Poonje' was staged by artistes from Sri Lalithe Koota.