The three-day programme that began on July 9 to mark the decennial year of the Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat Charitable Trust, Surathkal, concluded on Sunday with the presentation of the “Sheni Award” to veteran Yakshagana artiste Jalavalli Venkatesh Rao.
The annual award, named after the doyen of Yakshagana late Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat, was first presented in 2001 to Balipa Narayana Bhagawath. The award carries Rs. 15,000 in cash and a citation. Mr. Rao is said to have enjoyed warm relationship with late Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat.
The award was presented to Mr. Rao by K. Chinnappa Gowda, Registrar of Mangalore University, in the presence of seer of the Edaneer Math Keshavananda Bharathi. Special honour was made by the seer to legendary Yakshagana artiste Kollyur Ramachandra Rao and industrialist Rajesh Tadambailu on the occasion.
