By Alok S
pics by Violet Pereira
Team Mangalorean

Mangalore: The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy would present its honorary and book awards for 2011 at a function to be held in the town hall here on June 16. This was announced by the Academy president Umanath B Kotian, while addressing mediapersons in the Academy's 'chavadi' here on Tuesday, June 12.

State legislative assembly deputy speaker and Mangalore south MLA Yogish Bhat will preside over the function. Folk researcher Banannje Babu Amin will inaugurate the programme. Mangalore Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel will present the awards while Suratkal MLA and former minister Krishna J Palemar will hand over the book awards. Renowned author Hampa Nagarajaiah will release  Dr Vasant Kumar Perla's book titled 'Kavigalu Kanda Tulunadu', which is a collection of poems by different poets.

City mayor Gulzar Banu, Mangalore (Ullal) MLA UT Khader, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, DK ZP president Shailaja Bhat, Udupi ZP president  Katpadi Shankar Poojary, department of Kannada and culture secretary Basavaraju, Alva's Education Trust Moodbidri president Dr M Mohan Alva, film director Ram Shetty, noted music director Gurukiran and senior journalist Manohar Prasad will be among the other special guests.

On this occasion Bola Chittaranjandas Shetty from the literary field, Sitaram Shetty from the theatre field, T A Srinivas from the cinema field will receive the honorary awards. The book awards will be given to Puttige Padmanabha Rai, Dr Ashok Alva and Ratnakar Rao Kavoor.

Nesara Artists from Guttigar will stage a skit and artistes from Lalita Koota will play a Tulu historical stage-play 'Tulunada Beere Devu Punje' directed by Ln Kishore D Shetty .

The academy has requested all Tuluvas to attend the programme.  Tulu Sahitya Academy members Navaneeth Shetty, Jagannath Bala, Manjula and others were present.