Mangaluru: Jnanpith laureate, well-known Kannada writer Chandrashekhara Kambara presented Kendra Sahitya Akademi’s Bhasha Samman award to renowned Kannada, Tulu writer Amrith Someshwar in an event held at KSHEMA Enclave of Nitte University in Deralakatte on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Amrith Someshwar said the ward presented is a honor to Tulu and Kannada literature and he feel proud to become the recipient of the award. Congratulating the awardee, Kambara said, the award is an honour to Tulu literature for the outstanding works of the author.

Earlier, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, selected scholar Amrith Someshwar for Bhasha Samman 2016 for his outstanding contribution to Tulu language and literature. The award includes cash of Rs 1 lakh, an engraved copper plate and a citation. Special mention need to be made for Someshwara’s Yakshagana Krithi Samputa and Tulu Naataka Samputa while honoring the author.

A committee comprised of Dr Chinnappa Gowda, Professor Chandrakala Nanadavar and Janaki Brahmavar selected the name of Dr Someshwar to the prestigious award. The committee decided to finalize the name of the author considering his contribution for the development of Tulu language and literature. Someshwar translated some of his Tulu works into Kannada and vice versa whereas he authored seven Tulu drama works including Tulu anthologies.

Sahitya Akademi has been giving annual awards to books of outstanding merit and annual prizes for outstanding translations in the 24 languages recognised by it. However, the Akademi felt that in a multilingual country like India that has hundreds of languages and dialects, Akademi’s activities should be extended beyond the recognised ones by acknowledging and promoting literary creativity as well as academic research in non-recognised languages.

The Akademi, therefore, instituted Bhasha Samman in 1996 to be given to writers, scholars, editors, collectors, performers or translators who have made considerable contribution to the propagation, modernization or enrichment of the languages concerned.