Pics: Daya Kukkaje

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The 24th annual Sandesha Awards, instituted by Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education, will be conferred on six eminent personalities from various fields.

The awards will be conferred on renowned veteran Konkani singer Henry D'Souza (music), noted Tulu actor Navin D Padil (art), Dr C Veeranna (literature), Dr Jayamala Ramachandra (media), and Jayalaxmi Damle (best teacher).

Ace record-holder swimmer Gopal Kharvi will be honoured with the Sandesha Special Recognition Award.

Addressing a press meet here on Saturday December 20, director of Sandesha Fr Victor Vijay Lobo said that the awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held on January 23, 2015, at Sandesha premises at 5 pm. Bishop of Puttur diocese Geevarghese Mar Divannasios will preside over the ceremony and present the awards. District incharge minister Ramanath Rai, MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ivan D'Souza, bishop of Bellari and president of Sandesha Foundation Dr Henry D'Souza, bishop of Mangaluru diocese Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, and bishop of Udupi diocese Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo will be the chief guests, while noted literary figure Bolwar Mohammed Kunhi will be the guest of honour.

The jury consisted of Na D'Souza, Dr Na Damodar Shetty, Sara Abubakker, Chandrakala Nandavar, Eric Ozario and Richard Louis.

Dr Na Da Shetty, Sandesha media committee convener Titus Noronha, Fr Jayaprakash D'Souza of Sandesha Foundation were present.

About the winners

Henry D'Souza - Sandesha Konkani Music Award

Henry D'Souza was born in 1943 in Basrikatte of Chikkamagaluru district. In 1965, he migrated to Mumbai where he established himself as a singer-musician. The two Konkani songs he scripted five decades ago - 'Ye Ye Katrina' and 'Ami Dogee Sezari' have retained unparalleled popularity even till date. He has composed and directed over 2,000 songs and performed in various countries. He has sung more than 200 Konkani songs in the Akashvani.

Navin D Padil - Sandesha Art Award

Born in Padil in 1969, Navin D Padil has been an actor since childhood. Later, he joined the Tulu theatre. Thanks to his endeavours and efforts, Tulu theatre has earned a star value today. He is a master of comedy and tragedy, and hence is popularly called 'Kusaldarase'. His stage performances run into thousands. He has won several awards in India and abroad. He has also acted in Tulu films like 'Oriyardori Asal', 'Aamait Asal Eemait Kusal' and many others.

Dr C Veeranna - Sandesha Literature Award

Dr C Veeranna was born in Hanabe village in Doddaballapur in 1942. He was awarded doctorate for his writing 'Kannada Kavya Kanda Hennu'. He has held various offices in the Kannada Study Centre of Bangalore University, and was the director of Prasaranga. He was also the state honorary secretary of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. His two-volume work 'Kannada Sahitya Charitre - Charitrika Belavanige' presents history with a sociological angle. He has done specialized studies in Vachana Sahitya. His 'Mahabharata Manthana' represents the Indian epic Mahabharata with a humanitarian perspective. He has also written several plays. He was the founder president of Karnataka Sahitya Parishat.

Dr Jayamala Ramachandra - Sandesha Media Award

Born in Panambur of Dakshina Kannada district in 1959, Dr Jayamala Ramachandra is a multi-lingual cine artiste. She made her debut as heroine in the Tulu film 'Kaas Daaye Kandani', for which she won the state award. She has acted in more than 75 films and directed five films. She won Special National Award for her performance in the film 'Taayi Saheba'. Her children's film 'Tuttoori' has bagged the National Award. She holds a masters in political science, and was awarded doctorate for her dissertation on the rehabilitation of destitute women. She was the first woman president of Karnataka Film Chamber. She has won numerous awards, including the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award. Presently, she is an MLC in Karnataka government.

Jayalaxmi Damle - Sandesha Best Teacher Award

Jayalaxmi Damle is the headmistress of Sneha Educational Centre, Sullia, a unique nature-friendly educational centre which imparts education in huts located amidst trees, and aims at providing holistic education. Every class in this school is provided with a library. The students in this institute learn to nurture medicinal plants. They have access to learning various arts, to library and multimedia. Intent on providing the best possible education to the children, she ventured into a Kannada medium school. Though non-curricular education gets priority in her school, it has achieved cent percent results.

Gopal Kharvi - Sandesha Special Recognition Award

A great swimmer, Gopal Kharvi was born in Kodi Kanyana of Udupi district. He achieved a great feat by swimming 40 km in six hours in the Arabian Sea in 2003. In 2004, he swam a distance of 50 km between Gangolli and Malpe beach in 11-and-a-half hours. His name appeared in the Limca Book of Records in 2011. He swam a distance of 3.7 km from St Mary's Island to Malpe with his hands and feet chained, in a matter of 2.43.35 hours and created a Guinness world record. He has won Rajyotsava Award, Yuva Kreeda Ratna and other honours.