BANGALORE: Karnataka Nataka Academy on Monday announced that its annual awards would be given to 16 people, who had significantly contributed to Kannada theatre, this year.
B S Keshava Rao (72), has been chosen for the lifetime achievement honorary award, which includes a memento and Rs 10,000 cash. Other awardees will get a memento and Rs 5,000 cash.
The list includes Tippanayaka (Chitradurga), Venkataramaiah (Mandya), Aravinda Patil (Belgaum), Bharati Shirahatti (Gadag), Basavaraj Hosamani (Bijapur), Mohan Sona (Mangalore), Kannarpaadi Ramakrishna (Bangalore), Ramanand Hirejevargi (Gulbarga), Kantesha Kadaramandalagi (Shimoga), K V Srinivas Prabhu (Bangalore), I K Boluvaru (Udupi), Indiramma (Mysore), K H Panchaksharappa (Davanagere), Manjunath Hegde (Shimoga) and Enagi Nataraj (Dharwad).
The ‘Rangabhoomi Pustaka Puraskaara’ will be given to Virupaksha Nayak who has penned ‘Jeevana Rangadhaare’.
The award comprises a memento and Rs 5,000 cash.
The ‘Cultural Comedian K Hirannaiah Puraskaara’ will be given to Fakirappa Varavi. It includes a memento and Rs 5,000 cash.
Speaking to reporters, B V Rajaram, chairman of Karnataka Nataka Academy said that a meeting was held with the officials of all Kannada academies, including Karnataka Pustaka Academy, as also the department of Kannada and Culture, on the awards. “We have sent a request to the state government to increase the lifetime award amount from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 and that of other awards from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000,” he said.
This year, the ceremony will be held on August 16, at Kuvempu Rangamandira in Shimoga. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Shimoga district incharge minister Eshwarappa, actress Jayanthi, Master Hirannaiah and are expected to be present.