Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Dec 14: The Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education announced the winners of its annual awards in various categories for the year 2016 here on Monday December 14.

The awardees are Dr H S Venkatesha Murthy (literature), Gladys Rego (Konkani literature), Devdas Kapikad (Tulu literature), Sugantha Sathiaraj (best teacher), Ustad Rafique Khan (art), Joel Pereira (Konkani music) and Thomas D’Souza (media).

Also, G S Jayadeva will be conferred the Sandesha Special Award.

The awards will be presented in a ceremony to be held on January 16, 2015 at 5.30 pm at Sandesha premises. 

Archbishop of Bengaluru Dr Bernard Moras will preside over the ceremony and present the awards. Home minister G Parameshwar, bishop of Ballari diocese Dr Henry D'Souza, bishop of Mangaluru diocese Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Sandesha Foundation director Fr Victor Vijay Lobo and chairman of award selection committee Dr Na D'Souza will be the chief guests, while bishop of Udupi diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ivan D'Souza, and Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy president Roy Castelino will be the guests of honour.

The awardees were selected by a jury comprising Dr Na D'Souza, Richard Louis, Dr Na Da Shetty, Eric Ozario, Chandrakala Nanadavar and Sara Abubakkar.

About the Awardees

Dr H S Venkatesha Murthy - Sandesha Literature Award

Born in 1944, Dr H S Venkatesha Murthy spent his early thirty years in his village in Hodigere in Chennagiritaluk, Davanagere district. He began his career as a lecturer in Kannada in St Joesph College of Commerce, Bengaluru in 1973. Besides being an exemplary teacher, Dr Venkatesh is a great orator. His contribution to literature includesmore than 75 writings of varied kinds. He has to his credit collections of poems like Kriyaparva, Onamarada Giligalu, Amerikadalli Billahabba, Uttarayana, Saugandhika, plays like Hejjegalym Uriya Uyyale, Agniparva, Manthare, and children’s literature like Alilu Ramayana, Chinnarimutta, Hakki Salu, Hoovina Shale.

Gladys Rego - Sandesha Konkani Literature Award

Symproza Philomena Gladys Sequeira was born in Bendur, Mangaluru in 1945. Known popularly in Konkani literary circles as Gladys Rego, she has brought out four volumes of short stories in Konkani, six works on folklore, two collections of stories. She has to her credit altogether 27 books which include short stories, folk literature, biography, research, etc. She has her own publishing agency named ‘Akash Prakashan’. Her favourite hobbies include stamps, coins and currencies, post cards, etc. She has received wide laurels for her hobbies from the general public.

Devdas Kapikad - Sandesha Tulu Literature Award

Born at Sajipa in Bantwal, Devdas Kapikad with his better half Sharmila and son Arjun, has dedicated his life wholly to Tulu theatre and movies. Having set up a drama troupe called ‘Cha Parka’, he has written and staged around 50 plays, each of which have seen around 100 -200 performances in India and abroad. His play PudarDitiji has broken all records in the Tulu drama. His popular plays include Dever Dilekkapundu, Mamu, Panda Nambayer, Bolli, Gantetand, etc.

Sugantha Sathiaraj - Best Teacher Award

Sugantha Sathiaraj was born in Chennai. Having completed her education in Tamil Nadu, she moved to Bellary and dedicated her entire life for the uplift of the people in the district. She spent seventeen years of her life as a teacher in English and Social Studies in St Philomena’s High School, Ballari. She was instrumental in providing education to more than thousand drop outs in Ballari. She has been working tirelessly for the empowerment of women by providing them non conventional education and though various income generating and employment schemes and, thus, has brought cheers in hundreds of battered women of the district.

Ustad Rafique Khan - Sandesha Art Award

A renowned sitar maestro, Ustad Rafique Khan began practising sitar at the young age of 9 and later graduated in music in Gandharva University, Mumbai. At the young age of 23 itself he won Mumbai’s prestigious Surmani Award. He has been recognized as the Top -Grade musician by the Akashavani. He is the sitar artist of Akashavani, Mangaluru. Ustad Rafiq Khan has rendered his performances in SavayGandharv Music Concert, Pune,SahuMaharaj Musical Concert, Kolhapur, Alva's Virasat, Moodabidri, ManmohanBhat Musical Concert, Jaipur, etc. He has also performed overseas in countries like Europe, America, the Gulf countries, Singapore, Russia, Malaysia, etc.

Alexander Joel Pereira - Sandesha Konkani Music Award

A native of Mangaluru, music doyen Joel Pereira has marked an unforgettable imprint on the Konkani music in Mangaluru. He is versatile in playing on a wide variety of musical instruments like the keyboard, the guitar, the mandolin, the accordion and the sitar. An accomplished music composer and arranger, he has arranged music to over 350 albums. He has arranged voices for more than 1500 hymns and 120-plus songs.

Thomas D’Souza - Sandesha Media Award

Born in Arasalu village, Shivamogga in 1955, Thomas D’Souza nurtured his interests in sports, dramas and music from his childhood itself. He has served the movie world as an owner of a cinema theatre, as a member, the honorary secretary and the vice president of the steering committee of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. He has been the member of executive committee of Film Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed the president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce for 2014 -15 and has toiled for the all round development of the Kannada film world. He has dedicated himself for the conservation of above 600 film theatres in Karnataka and for the growth of the Kannada films.

G S Jayadeva - Sandesha Special Award

64-year-old G S Jayadeva took a voluntary retirement as lecturer in 2001. Settled in Chamarajanagar in 1992, he started the Deenabandhu Trust. The trust adopts children from the government schools and provides for their food, cloth and shelter. He has rendered his services in Shaktidhama, a women rehabilitation centre in Mysore, Vivekananda Tribal Welfare Centre, BR Hills. He has served selflessly in the of Karnataka Government developmental committee.