Chowta, two others to get Tulu Academy award

Mangalore, March 19: The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy has announced three honourary Tulu Sahitya Academy awards for the year 2010. The awardees have been chosen under three different categories namely literature-researches, folklore and drama/cinema.

Speaking to media persons, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy President Palthadi Ramakrishna Achar said, the awards will be conferred on D K Chowta (literature), Korappolu (folklore) and Shantaram Kalladaka (drama) for their excellent performance in the respective fields. The esteemed Tulu writer D K Chowta, has written various works including 'Kariyavajjerena Kathegalu,' 'Pilipatthigadasu,' 'Patth Pajjelu' and 'Dharametthimayae' among others. 'Mitthabail Yamuna' is the most popular among his works. It has been translated into Kannada and has already been enacted on the stage in the form of drama.

Korappolu, hailing from Sullia is a storehouse of Padadana and folk stories. The lady not only sings Padadanas but also in fluent with more than 50 folk stories which she can recall at any given point of time.

While Shantharam Kalladka who has been chosen for the award under drama category has framed more than 65 dramas out of which as many as 45 dramas are in Tulu language. His dramas also hold the credit of being converted as cinemas.

Along with the honourary awards, the Academy will also confer prizes for three books under Tulu research book, novel and translation categories. The books which have been chosen for the prize are as follows: 'Tulunadavara Samaja- Tulunadavara Reethi Rivajugalu' by B Sacchidananda Hegde (research work), 'Thanne Thoduda Sonne' by Vijaya Shetty Saletthur (novel) and 'Mayeya Eradu Natakagalu' transalted by Keshava Kudla, who is basically a non-Mangalorean, informed Achar.

The awards and the prizes will be conferred on May 1 in Puttur. The award will consist of Rs 10,000 cash and a certificate, while the winners of the book will receive Rs 5,000 cash prize and a certificate each.

Inclusion in VIII schedule

Speaking about the issue of including Tulu in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution, the Academy President said there has been a disappointing response from the Centre regarding the inclusion of Tulu in VIII Schedule.

“The Academy had written separate letters to the Central Ministers from the State S M Krsihna, Veerappa Moily, Mallikarjuna Kharge and H Muniyappa. But we were disappointed to hear that the issue would not be discussed in the sessions,” he informed.

He said that the works related to publishing Tulu text books for VII Std has been completed and the books for the VIII Std would begin soon. As many as 7,800 copies of the text books were published previous year, he said.