Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 31: The state government has released a list of 60 Rajyotsava awardees chosen for the year 2015. The list includes names of Justice A J Sadashiva, veteran actress, Sahukar Janaki, folklore scholar, Veerendra Simpi, well-known Kannada author, Aryamba Pattabhi, ISRO chairman, A S Kiran Kumar, and senior journalist, H S Ishwar.

Three from coastal Karnataka, well-known Talamaddale artiste, Moodambail Gopalakrishna Shastri, renowned Yakshagana (Badagutittu) artiste known for portraying female characters, Margoli Govinda Sheregar, and Paddana scholar, Macharu Gopal Naik, have made it to the list.

Moodambail Gopalakrishna Shastri has carved out a nice for himself in Talamaddale art form, and has a huge fan following. He is one of the rare artistes, who also has served sectors like literature, social service, teaching profession etc with equal aplomb besides functioning as postmaster and agriculturist. Presently he lives at Padangadi in Beltangady in his daughter's home.

Margoli Govinda Sheregar has served the field of Yakshagana since the last over six decades. He was the first to introduce 'Devi Mahatme' episode in Mandarti Mela about 60 years back. He was famous for depicting the role of Devi in this episode. He also did equally well in male roles like that of Durdundi in Mahiravna Kalaga. He also had served Saligrama, Idagunji, Maranakatte and Amriteshwari Melas in addition to Mandarti Mela. He was selected for Palli Somanath Hegde award. He lives at Kundapur now.

Macharu Gopal Naik (70) from Mapala Mane in Belalu village, Beltangady taluk, is a scholar credited with creating an international record in his name in folklore. He is basically an agricultrurist, and has been the religious leader to Siri Balaga, and participates in Paliyo Dalya and Siri Dalya religious observations. He was involved with 'Siri Sandhi' epic project by singing the prose lasting 15,.682 lines by heart by getting involved with a folklore scholar from Finland apart from Prof B A Vivek Rai and Dr Chinnappa Gowda in 1990. This epic has been translated into English.