Rons Bantwal

Mumbai, March 8: The Karnataka Lekhakiyara Sangha (KLES), Bengaluru, has announced its annual endowment awards for 2025, with Mumbai-based poet Anita P Takode’s poetry collection 'Menakkantada Batti' being selected for the Smt Sankamma Sankannavar Poetry Award.

Announcing the list of awardees in a statement, KLES president R Sunandamma said the awards recognise notable contributions by women writers across various literary genres.

Releasing the list, she said the Smt K T Banashankaramma Award (for teacher and writer) has been conferred on B T Geetha Manju of Davanagere. The Smt Shreelekha Award (Translation) has been awarded to Bhoomika R for her translated work 'Jorami'.

The Smt Bhagya Nanjappa Award (Science Literature) has been presented to Sukanya Sunagahalli for her book 'Kabbina Sihi Vardhisida Amma – Dr. Janaki Ammal', while the Smt G V Nirmala Award (Translation Literature) has been conferred on Veena Muralidhar for 'Channe Maneya Jagattu', she said.

In the poetry category, the Smt Usha P Rai Award has been awarded to Pragnya Mattihalli for her collection 'Beladingala Sonemale'. The Smt Nagarathna Chandrashekar Award (Lalitha Prabandha / literary essays) has gone to Suchitra Hegde for her work 'Minchuhulada Daari'.

Sunandamma further said the Dr B C Shaila Nagaraj Poetry Award has been conferred on Mamatha Arasikere for her poetry collection 'Gayaragide… Vidaya Helabeku'.

She added that several other endowment awards have also been announced by the organisation. The award presentation ceremony will be held on April 9 (Thursday) at the Nayana Auditorium, Kannada Bhavana, Bengaluru, where the winners will be formally honoured.