Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Nov 2: The 'Suvarna Karnataka Navodaya Award-2006' was presented to 17 persons by the Navodaya Grama Vikasa Charitable Trust here on Wednesday November 1.

Addressing the award presentation function, district in-charge minister B Nagaraj Shetty lauded the efforts of self-help groups for their efforts in empowering women.

A G Kodgi for agriculture, Kurunji Venkataramana Gowda for education, Dr Shantaram Shetty for medical, B Ganapati Pai for entrepreneurship, Dr M Mohan Alva for art,  Ammembala Balappa (freedom fighter), Peraje Srinivas Rao (cooperative), N Gururaj (journalism) and Sara Aboobaker (literature) won the awards.  Dr Jeevandhar Ballal won the award for buffalo racing (Kambala) while Prof Amrita Someshwar won the award for folk. Other recipients were Sadananda Suvarna (theatre), Veenadhari (social service), Shyamaraya Acharya (sculpture), K Govinda Bhat (Yakshagana), Raymond D'Souza (sports) and Srinath Marate (music).

State Apex Bank chairman M N Rajendra Kumar presided over the function. Medical education minister Dr V S Acharya, Subramanya Math seer Vidyaprasanna Teertha Swamiji, Shimoga district Central Cooperative Bank president R M Manjunath Gowda and others were present.