Mangalore: At a press meet held in city Dr. M Mohan Alva the main spirit behind Alva’s Vishwa Nudisiri- Virast 2013 spoke on the program in the presence of dignitary at Pathrika Bhavan on Tuesday dec.17 in city several scholars were present on the occasion.

15 celebrities of the state will be presented with Nudisiri Awards, each having a citation a memento and Rs.25,000 in cash the winners have been named as Poet Dr H S Venkatesh Murthy, Dr D K Chowta, Hiremagalur Kannan, Moodnakodu Chinnaswami, T N Seetharam, Fakir Ahmed Katapady, Dr B M Hegde, Jayanth Kaikini, Uma Kulkarni, Pune, Dr Kamala Hampana, Dr P Dayanand Pai, Dr Na Mogasale, Kumble Sundar Rao, organizations Mangalore Basel Mission and Shimoga Karnataka Sangha, have been named as Achievers to secure the awards.

Former cine star and now minister for Kannada and Culture Umashri will inaugurate the 3 day festival on Dec.20, A colorful procession of all those present and floats with dancers as been arranged before the inauguration. Dr. Vinaya Hegde of Nitte University will preside over the inaugural event. Convention president Dr B A Vivek Rai, outgoing DC N Prakash, Sarvottham Shetty, president of Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha, and Raj Kumar, president of Bahrain Kannada Sangha will grace the occasion. Cultural and Arts events will be held by students of the colleges daily for 3 days. Poets, writers and thinkers from all over India have been invited to take part in the 3 day Festival.

The awards are scheduled to be offered to the winners in the last sessions on Dec.22, Dr. Alva informed. Amarnath Shetty, Chengappa AD, Venugopal, Na Damodhar Shetty and others were present at the press meet.