Seven Achievers Conferred with Sandesha Awards 2020 at a Glittering & Pomp Ceremony
Mangaluru: It was once again that time of the year, that selected achievers are conferred with the prestigious Sandesha Awards. This year the ’29th Annual Sandesha Awards, instituted by Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education, held on Sunday, 9 February 2020 at the Sandesha Open Air premises, were presented to seven achievers from various fields in a glittering and pomp ceremony. The programme began with a prayer song invoking God’s blessings, followed by welcome address by the Director of Sandesha Foundation, Fr Francis Assisi D’Almeida.
Fr Francis said, “SANDESHA means ‘MESSAGE’, and it took its birth in May 1989 with a message of harmony and Goodwill among all people of the society. It was registered as a Charitable Trust on 26 November 1991. Since its inception, Sandesha’s main goal was to foster a value- based society by promoting universal values of love and harmony among people of different faiths, customs and traditions. This temple of arts believes that at a deeper level there is a true unity in all arts and they inspire communion of all people. As a bridge-builder among the different sections of the society and a catalyst of social change and social betterment, Sandeshaworks relentlessly with like-minded people to achieve its goal”.
Sandesha Literature Award (Kannada)- Boluvaru Muhammad Kunhi
Born in 1951 at Puttur, he has secured a gold medal in Kannada Post Graduation from Mysore University. At present, he is retired and settled at Bengaluru after serving 40 years in Syndicate Bank as an officer. He is the only Indian writer conferred with Central Sahitya Academy twice (2010 & 2016) for creative prose. He is also the first-ever Kannada writer conferred with `Bala Sahitya Puraskar’ by Central Sahitya Academy. His epic 1,110-page opus named “Swathranthada Ota” (in English: The run for independence) released on 18 March 2012 at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore by the world-famous Sarod artist Pandit Rajiv Taranath.He worked as Senate Member in Hampi Kannada University, Kannada Sahitya Academy and Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara. He also worked as State president for `Samudaya’ Cultural Organisation, as Convener to Bandaya Sahitya Sangha, as Editor to GIANT (Syndicate Bank’s House Magazine) KRISHILOKA (Syndicate Bank’s Magazine), as member to RDC (Syndicate Bank’s Rural Development Institute), Self-Employment Training Institute (RUDSETI– Dharmastala). He was the President for Kannada Belesi Balaga and Chitra Samudaya (Film Division).
He was born at Vagga of Bantawal Taluk of Dakshina Kannada in the year 1947. His pen name is ‘Valli Vagga’. He was an industrialist and at present, he is retired and continuing is service in literature. In 55 years of his service in the field of Konkani literature, he has written some 150 short stories, 140 poems and 120 articles in different papers, magazines and websites. Out of these articles, some 40 articles have been translated and published in different papers.
He has published eight books and his Konkani drama “KhandhiKuris” has already had 13 exhibitions. He has been honoured by Karnataka Konkani Academy, Konkani Kutam Bahrain and Daiji Dubai and also he has worked at various capacities in the field of Konkani Literature.
Sandesha Media Award: Shiva Kumar
Sandesha Konkani Music Award: Ms Helen D’ Cruz
Mrs Helen Correa was born in Africa to late Flora and Alexander Correa. In Mumbai, Helen was working for women’s magazine Eve’s weekly and had the opportunity to meet some of the best Bollywood actors and singers notable among them Geeta Dutt and Hemant Kumar. She has also worked closely with late Divyani Chaubal, writer-columnist and well-known film critic. She is one of the greatest legends of the Konkani stage who stood her own along with Bollywood fame Hemanth Kumarand Sangeeth Samrat Henry D’Souza. She is known for immortal Konkani hits like ‘Ye..Ye..Katrina’, ‘Chondrem Udevn Ailo’, ‘Gharaso Divo’, ‘Suryachi Kirnam’, and many more. Helen’s music journey from Africa–Mangalore–Mumbai-
Helen had created a sensation in the Konkani music world with her melodious and mellifluous voice in the early 60s and 70s thus giving a big fillip to Konkani music. She was the first reputed Konkani female singer in Mumbai. “Suryachin Kirnan” of Jerome D Souza was her first song in radio in 1961 and with that Helen the singer had arrived on the scene. She sang many songs with Alphonso D Costa and also with Henry D’Souza.
Helen has also cut an album with Henry D’Souza with some memorable songs like “Chandrem Udevn”, “Sezari”, “Gharacho Divo” and of course “Katrina”. Though all the songs were quite melodious and hummable Katrina song hit the bull’s eye. Helen recalls that in during the general elections in Goa the Katrina song had gained a lot of fame. Helen also reached the zenith of her popularity with some of the evergreen numbers like “Daryacha Daryacha Larani”, written by Henry, “Kalzanth UllasBhorla, Bhovtin Varen Valla.” “Naamv muje Leena”, “Sanjecha Velar” (both tunes by Helen). Helen has also written lyrics of the song “Tu Maka”. Apart from Alphonso, Henry and Hemant Kumar, Helen has sung with Jerome D’Souza and Henry Moraes (in plays).
Sandesha Art Award: Dr K S Pavithra
She is a Psychiatrist by profession. Not only she is a good physician and researcher but also a good dancer (Artist). She has done her studies in Bharatnatyam and presently teaching several students. She is the director of Shri Vijay Kalanikethan ® at Shimoga. She has performed various dance programmes at the international level too.
As a dancer and also as a coordinator she has performed many programmes at the national and international levels. She has received regional, national and international awards and also she is one among the 25 artists selected by India to participate for the International Festival.
Sandesha Teacher Award: Ms Justhin D’Souza
For the past five decades, as head of the Siddaganga Education Institution at Davanagere, Mrs Justhin D’Souza has served in the field of education along with areas of culture, sports, science and art. She has given prominence to her students to build leadership in society by providing them with proper channels and avenues.
She has set an example to others by creating environment-friendly school and worked hard to recognize her school as a ‘school free from waste materials’. She has been working as a member of several associations of literature and published a book by name “Siddagangeya Siri”. She has bagged several awards namely “Seva Dhurine”, “Shikshana Shri”, “Shikshana Siri”, “Shramika Mahile” “Sharada” “Avva” “Kayaka Shri”, “Vratthi Chaitanya Ratna”, “Shikshana Shiromani” “Vidhyadhare Sarsvathi” and so on. She has been honoured with Kannada Rajyostva Award too.
Sandesha Special Recognition Award- Achievement: Vincent Prakash Carlo
For the past 31 years, he has been in the field of Bodybuilding and power-lifting and he has represented India at the International level and brought honour to the nation. He has been a great inspiration to the youth and others to get motivated to keep a healthy body by getting trained themselves under his effective training. Hailing from Mangaluru, He is a Body Builder and Power-lifter. He has participated in 11 international competitions and bagged 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 bronze. He has participated in 24 National Level and 28 state-level Competitions and bagged 28 Gold, 17 silver and 7 bronze medals. He has been honoured twice with “Strong Man of India” and twice as “Strong man of South India”.
Bishop of Ballari diocese Rev Fr Henry D’Souza in his presidential address stressed that, ” If the mentality of the people is to divide a society, that is totally against humanity. Here is an example, during a time of war between Christian and Muslim forces to grab the land of Israel, St Francis Assisi raised his voice and approached parties from both sides to end the war. Meeting the King and Commander of the Muslim army, St Francis took the initiative to end the war and killing of innocent lives in the name of religion and land. With the recent disturbances going on in our country, filled with hate, disharmony in the name of religion etc, we need to remember St Francis Assisi, because he is the right role model for all of us, since he believed in humanity without barriers of religion, caste or creed. My sincere appreciation to the seven awardees in their efforts to unite the society and delivering the message of peace and harmony. These seven awardees have served people with a motto of giving love and care, irrespective of caste, or religion, thereby spreading the truth in society. We need such kind of people when our country is in big trouble pertaining to religion etc”.
On the occasion Sandalwood Music Director Cajetan Dias and Senior Musician Madhav Prabhu, both alumnus of Sandesha Foundation, were also felicitated by Bishop Fr Henry along with other dignitaries on the dais.
Following the vote of thanks by Roy Castelino– a Trustee of Sandesha, it was time for cultural extravaganza, where different performances in the form of music and dance by the artists enthralled the audience, while they were having the sumptuous dinner served.
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