Mangalore: A total of  19 achievers from Dakshina Kannada district have been chosen  for the district level Rajyotsava Awards for the year 2012.  Prominent among the winners are Dr Ronald Anil Fernandes, Mangalore Bureau Chief of Deccan Herald and KT Gatti and Azeez Baikampady, writers.

This was informed to reporters here  by Deputy Commissioner Channappa Gowda on October 31, Wednesday.

Others chosen for the award are : Mohan Sonangeri (art), Sharada Mani Shekar (dance), Ashok Vardhan (environment), Ramakrishna Ashram (organization), Gayathri Navada (research), Kodipady Narayana Jois (religion and culture), Shantharam Acharya Kalladka (literature), Prof S Prabhakar Ujire (education), Puttur Shreedhar Bhandary, Prakash Karanth Narikombu (Yakshagana), Shreedhar Bhat, Mahabala Poojary Kadambodi (social service), Rohini Subbarathnam Kanchana (music), Jeevan Ram Sullia (theatre), Lokaiah Sere (folk), Edward Taccode (Agriculture).   Sahana Poojary and Sadananda Prabhu will be conferred special awards for their achievements in sports.

The DC said a panel comprising eminent men like Dr Mohan Alva, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, Mangala Naik, Additional Deputy Commissioner and the DC himself had chosen the awardees who will be presented the awards on Rajyotsava Day.

Last year a total of 45 persons had been chosen for the awards, while this year the awardees have been restricted to  19.