Sharjah: Daijiworld Correspondent Shodhan Prasad Wins Prestigious Mayura Award

Media Release

Sharjah, Apr 27: Shodhan Prasad, a well-known social worker of Nama Tuluver UAE, an active member of advisory board, Billawas Dubai and Northern Emirates and honorary correspondent of Daijiworld.com has been chosen for the prestigious ‘Mayura Award 2011’ by Karnataka Sangha Sharjah.

Every year since the organization's inception, it has been recognizing and awarding Kannadigas in UAE who have excelled in various fields, may it be literary, business, media, drama or contribution to social cause, with the prestigious ‘Mayura Award’.

The award will be presented during the Sangha's 9th annual celebrations due to be held on May 13 at Ramada Hotel, Ajman.

Shodhan was unanimously selected by the managing committee of Karnataka Sangha Sharjah who identified his contribution to the society and voted for him during their recent meeting. Many popular dignitaries from India are scheduled to be part of the celebration which will be an event to be remembered. Committee members of Karnataka Sangha Sharjah are enthusiastically preparing for the event which will also have ‘Mayura Raja’ and ‘Mayura Rani’ awards selected from the best three in each category identified at the audition during the singing competition, due to be held at Fortune Plaza, (Princess Hotel), Ghusais on April 29 as a part of 9th annual celebrations.

About Shodhan Prasad

Born on May 1, 1960 into a middle class family of well-known Congress worker Janardhan Anchan and Sumathi Amin, Shodhan is the eldest among the family of four children. His younger brother and two sisters are all settled in Mangalore. He completed his education in St Gerosa and Milagres High School and then in Government College and St Aloysius College, Mangalore with Bachelor of Arts in the year 1980.

Initially, he served as a technical instructor at Durga Prasad School of Commerce, Mangalore and later worked with Prabhudas Liladher, share broker and Gopinath Shenoy, chartered accountant. He continued as an independent accountant before moving to Mumbai in search of better prospects. In Mumbai he worked as an accountant with Kamran Linkers, Chembur before moving into the Sultanate of Oman.

In the year 1983 he moved to Muscat and joined Prudential Insurance Co and Guardian Royal Insurance Ltd, serving there until 1995. He then moved to Abu Dhabi to join Northern Insurance Co Ltd and then Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Co, serving there for a few years until 2007. Currently he is working as a branch manager for Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Co Ltd.

Multi-faceted Shodhan has varied creative interests in drama, acting, music, singing, writing, painting, sculpture, choreography, craft, stage setting, compering etc.

In Oman, being an active member of Tulu Koota, he had participated in various cultural shows. With his interest in music he had participated in music competitions along with his group and had won ‘Best Group’ award in instrumental music conducted by Khimji Ramdas. He played the African percussion instrument ‘thumba’ and also sang on various occasions whereever the group performed. In sports his team won the first prize in ‘tug-of-war’ conducted by Khimji Ramdas beating some of the best teams of those days. He had also provided special smoke effects for one of the live Dharmendra – Jayaprada musical show in Oman.

As a director-cum-actor Shodhan Prasad has presented various dramas for India Social Centre, Abu Dhabi, Billawa Balaga Abu Dhabi, Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi, UAE Bunts, Billawas Dubai and also choreographed various fashion shows during cultural meets. He has also acted in Malayalam tele-serials for Kairali Television and in several song albums and ad films for Asianet TV. He scripted, hosted and presented Tulu segment on Radio Spice which was aired on Fridays and had lent voice for various teasers and advertisements.

His leadership skills blended with his rich voice have brought him appreciation and acknowledgement in various shows that he compered as a master of ceremony. Recently he had been once again invited to Oman to compere a musical show and was appreciated widely by the audience. He carries all these activities as a pure hobby and has never done any event on a commercial basis.

His association with Nama Tuluveru UAE along with the like-minded committee members has led him to provide a helping hand for the needy Kannadigas in UAE with emergency medical and social aids, including finding jobs for the jobless.

Some of his contributions along with the support of his friends in Nama Tuluver, UAE are:
1) Supported in release of accident victim, poor worker Lohitaksha from Saudi jail in association with MASA (Mangalorean Association of Saudi Arabia) by collecting funds in UAE for the payment to be done for release.
2)Collected monetary aid for a cancer patient Mohd Ansar, a one-year-old boy who was admitted in Zuleka Hospital, Dubai.
3)Collected monetary aid for Harish Manjappa Bangera who was in coma at Sh Rashid Hospital Dubai and arranged to send him back home for further treatment.
4)Collected monetary aid for cancer patient Boniface D’Souza who was admitted in NMC Dubai.
5)Collected monetary aid for Mrs Naik whose husband collapsed in Ajman jail.
6)Collected monetary aid for Rashida Farouq an accident victim in Mangalore.
7)Collected funds for special needs school of Mangalore by conducting shows.

Shodhan Prasad is married to Sandhya and has two beautiful daughters Nindiya Prasad and Shravya Prasad. Sandhya is an accountant with Uni Lever. She too has acted in several Tulu and Kannada dramas in Abu Dhabi and also acted in a Malayalam TV serial.

Shodhan Prasad and his wife Sandhya have been felicitated on different occasions by Karnataka Sangha Abu Dhabi, Billawara Balaga Abu Dhabi, Billawas Dubai and NE and Karnataka Sangha Al Ain-Buraimi and by many other regional community associations in UAE.

President of Karnataka Sangha Sharjah, Shahada Mohamad, and the governing body have invited all Kannadigas around UAE to be part of their grand annual celebrations to be held on May 13.