Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Apr 26: Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police(SP) Dr Sharanappa S D on Tuesday April 26 presented the 'PaGo Memorial Award-2015' for rural reporting to Chandrahasa Charmadi, sub-editor of 'Nirantara Pragati' monthly. The award has been instituted in memory of P Gopalakrishna by Pa Go Memorial Trust, and is presented annually by the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Union (DKWJU).
The award ceremony was held at the Press Club here. Chandrahasa Charmadi was honoured with the award for his report titled 'Deha Nadalli, Manussu Kadalli' published in Prajavani newspaper on September 15, 2015.
Addressig the gathering, SP Sharanappa said, "This is a meaningful programme. I feel that Mangaluru is ahead of other places in the state because of each person's concern for society. Media is a true mirror of the society. Journalism should bring about progressive and reformatory change in the society. Journalism plays a vital role in the functioning of democracy."
Acknowledging the honour, Chandrahasa Charmadi thanked Padma Vibhushan Dr D Veerendra Heggade for his support and said, "They are very few institutions that honour journalists for their contribution. An award to a journalist is a responsibility. When a journalist gets rewarded for his work, it motivates him to write more."
He also explained that the article for which he won the award was all about the pathetic condition of the people of a village in HD Kote, on how they were subjected to political exploitation without being given basic amenities and how political mafias kept them in the dark by depriving them of education.
He also recalled that he was threatened during the course of reporting and said that even after the report was published, the mafia continued to keep the people in the dark for vested interests.
Senior journalist Manohar Prasad also spoke on this occasion. P B Harish Rai compered the programme.
On this occasion, DKWJU also bid farewell to Suresh Belagaje, senior editor of Prajavani who is moving to Bengaluru.
Also, Manohar Prasad honoured the Mangaluru journalists' cricket team for winning the state-level tournament held at Mysuru recently. Team captain Rajesh Rao along with team members handed over the trophy to DKWJU president Jaganath Shetty Bala.
Srinivas Indaje and others were present.