Mangaluru : Kanaradi Vadiraja Bhat, M.K. Seetharam Kulal and Ram Shetty have been chosen by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy for its 2014 annual honorary award.

Academy president M. Janaki Brahmavar announced the awards on Saturday. Mr. Bhat (64) has been chosen in the literature category, Mr. Kulal (75), who is a former president of the academy, in the theatre category and Mr. Shetty (64), film-maker, in the cinema category. The award comprises Rs. 10,000, a certificate and a memento.

It would be presented to them at a function in December. The date of the function is yet to be decided, she said. A book, Paadana, written by Sharada A Anchan, has been selected for the academy’s book award for 2014. The award comprises Rs. 5,000 cash, a certificate and a memento.

Mr. Bhat is a retired Kannada professor and principal of Sharada College, Basuru, Udupi. Jokle Padokulu I and Jokle Padokulu II, Jeevana Paadana, Mage Barau Kalte are some of his main works. He has a collection of Tulu folk stories. Mr. Kulal has written 69 dramas in Kannada and Tulu.

His drama Mannda Magal Abbakka is a popular play.

His first drama was Dasi Putra. He has written about 350 songs for both Tulu and Kannada dramas. As a stunt master, Mr. Shetty has acted in about 700 films in various languages, including Hindi and Tulu.

He made Tulu cinemas such as Badkere Budle, Dareda Seere, Bangarda Kural. Ms. Anchan, who lives in Mumbai, writes in Kannada and Tulu.