Mangalore:Sarojini Naidu award prize sponsored by Hunger Project has gone to senior reporter of ‘Hosa Diganta’ Kannada daily, Guruvappa Balepuni. This is a prestigious award for a journalist.

It is a national level award, given to Kannada among regional languages for the first time. The award was given to Balepuni for his report on “Idkidu GP: A living model to rural development” written on 14-06-2011 for the ‘new Horizon’ daily. It is worth Rs.2 lakhs in cash and gifts (mementoes).

The award-giving ceremony will be held on October 2(Gandhi and Shastri birthday), a national holiday, in New Delhi this year.

Balepuni entered the world of Kannada journalism in 1986 and worked for various newspapers. In the last 15 years he adorns “Hosa Digantha”, and now as senior reporter. His main interests are in rural development and Panchayath Raj system.