Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy has chosen three persons and three books for its honorary and book awards, respectively, for 2021.
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Those who have been selected for the honorary award are Nagesh Anwekar of Thumbebeedu, Yellapura taluk in Uttara Kannada (literature category), Dinesh Prabhu Kallotte of Karkala (art) and Madhava Kharvi of Kundapura (folk).
The award carries a ₹50,000 cash prize, a citation, a certificate, a garland, a shawl and a peta.
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Mr. Anwekar has translated many Yakshagana scripts from Kannada to Konkani, and had arranged Konkani ‘talamaddale’. He introduced Konkani in the ‘gamaka’ art form. In addition, he has written Konkani books.
Mr. Kallotte has been active in Konkani theatre for three decades. Through his Pallavi Arts, he has been arranging drama training.
Mr. Kharvi is instrumental in sustaining the folk forms of the Kharvi community. He has been training children in gumate dance, kolata and holi kathana.
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The books selected for the award are Larachem Geeth, a collection of poems by Jovin Vishwas Sequeira of Karkala, Rupaam Aani Rupakam, a Konkani article by Henry Ignatius Mendonca of Udupi, and Loveletters Vajiitalo Mahntaro, a collection of short stories by Gopalakrishna Pai.
The book award carries a ₹25,000 cash prize, a citation and a certificate, a garland, a shawl and a peta.
Minister for Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar will present the awards at a function in the premises of Mahalasa Narayani temple in Kumta, Uttara Kannada district on March 27 in the presence of Kota Srinivas Poojary, minister in-charge of Uttara Kannada.
Konkani Litfest
The academy has organised a Konkani litfest (literature festival) at Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Shakthi Nagar in Mangaluru on March 19.