Mysore, Apr 20 : Theatre awards in different categories, instituted by the Karnataka Nataka Academy for 2009, were presented to 19 artistes in a colourful function held at Jaganmohan Palace auditorium in city on April 17, 2010.
S.R. Shankar Rao received the Lifetime Achievement award while Laxmanrao Muttangi received the K. Hirannaiah Ranga Prashasti.
Y.M. Puttannaiah, harmonium exponent of Mysore, H. Panduranga, tabla exponent of Bellary, Lingaraju Palled of Koppala, Hanumanthu, nepathya expert from Hassan, Manjunatha Belakere of Mysore, N. Ravindra of Bangalore, Rangashree R. Rangaswamy, Jayamma Kalluru of Bijapura, Dr. Jayaprakash Mavinakuli of Dakshina Kannada, Shanthabai Diggi of Gulbarga, Prakash of Mandya, Hussainappa Pulameshwara Dinni of Raichur, T.V. Kabadi of Haveri, Prakash Rao Payyar of Dubai and S.M. Nagarajachar of Tumkur were presented with the theatre awards.
The Book of the Year award for 2008 was presented to noted theatre personality Rajashekara Kadamba for his work "101 Rangamukhagalu." The same award for 2009 was given to Marthandappa M. Katti for his work "Rangabhoomi Diggaja Natashekara Basavaraja Mansur Jeevana Sadhane."
Retired Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore Prof. D. Javaregowda presented the awards. Noted theatre personality Dr. N. Ratna released the book 'Ranga Brindavana.'
Jayaramaraje Urs, Secretary, Department of Kannada and Culture, distributed funds to Associations supplying curtains and costumes for dramas. Dr. B.V. Rajaram, President, Karnataka Nataka Academy and T.G. Narasimhamurthy, Registrar, were present.
The artistes, attired like Lord Shiva, Ravana, Duryodhana and various Saints, who had assembled at the Town Hall, were brought in a procession flagged off by Mayor Purushotham to Jaganmohan Palace via KR Circle , New Sayyaji Rao Road . The artistes rendered theatre songs reflecting the past glory of theatre in Karnataka and enacted various scenes from mythological and social dramas of the past — 'Mahishasura Mardini,' 'Vidhurana Kuteera,' 'Sadaarame' and others.