Mangalore : Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education (R) Mangalore will confer ‘Sandesha Awards 2013’ on nine achievers at Sandesha Premises on Jan 27, Sunday at 5.30.

Speaking at the Press Club on January 9, Wednesday Fr Vijay Victor Lobo Director of Sandesha said that the Sandesha awards will be conferred on nine achievers in different categories like Sandesha Kannada Literature Award to Kumbara Veerabhadrappa (Kum.Vi.), Sandesha Konkani Literature Award to Shri Leo D’Souza, Sandesha TuLu Literature Award to Shri Vijayakumar Kodialbail, Sandesha Arts Award to Smt Jayalakshmi  Alva, Sandesha Journalism Award to Shri N Arjun Dev, Sandesha Cinema/TV Award to Shri Hamsalekha, Sandesha Best Teacher Award to Dr K. E. Radhakrishnan,  Sandesha Special Recognition Award to Shri U.C.Paulose, Sandesha Konkani Music Award to Fr Valerian Mendonca.

Bishop of Mangalore Dr Aloysius P D Souza will confer the awards along with a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a citation, a shawl and a trophy.

Raymond D’Cunha, Ronald Gomes and Na D’Souza were present at the press meet.
Award Winners

1. Sandesha Kannada Literature Award – Kumbara Veerabhadrappa (Kum.Vi.)
Born in Kottur of Bellary district, 51 year old Kumbaara Veerabhadrappa is  Known As  Kumvee in Kannada literature. His is the voice of Dalits, revolutionaries and the poor. He has worked as a teacher for 34 years. 14 short story collections, 4 biographies,   1 critique collection, 1 anthology of poems, translation of more than 300  Telugu short stories and recently his own autobiography. His stories and novels are Text books in Universities,  many films have been based on his stories. Among his awards are Karnataka Sahithya Academy Award, Vardhamaan Udayonmukha Award,  Ugrana Award, Sahithya  Academy Award, Rajyothsava Award, Ladhwa Award, Vichi Award, Chaduranga Award etc.

2. Sandesha Konkani Literature Award – Shri Leo D’Souza
Born in Mangalore  in 1934, 79 year old Shri Leo D’Souza has been  working in the Konkani literature from 1951. B.A., B.Ed, R.B.Visharad as his  qualifications, he has worked as a teacher , then went abroad, after return had been serving at Sandesha till recently. Translation of English into Konkani is his forte. He has translated 17 English novels , published his own novel, 2 poetry anthologies in Konkani, one poetry anthology in English  and a short autobiographical sketch about his literary life. He has written more than 3000  Konkani poems, a number of articles and stories in Konkani. Among his awards  are Konkani Sahithya Academy Award for Journalism in 2002 and  Kavitha Trust Award for poetry  in 2010.

3. Sandesha TuLu Literature Award – Shri Vijayakumar Kodialbail
Shri Vijayakumar Kodialbail is known as the revivalis of the great Tulu stage tradition, with a new type of plays, direction and songs. As the organizer of the  Kalasangama drama troupe, his Oriyardori Asal play not only created history by  its film version but gave a new impetus to the Tulu stage.He has written more than 20 plays and staged  them all over Karnataka and other places. He has  staged more than 4000 Tulu plays, given literature to more than  300 audio CDs, has written a Tulu column in the papers. Among the awards received by him are Tulu Sahitya Academy award, Tuluvere Chavadi award, honoured by the Tulu Kootas in the Gulf countries and the honour by the Jaycee, Lions and Rotary Clubs.

4. Sandesha Arts Award – Smt Jayalakshmi  Alva
Shrimathi has a life of fulfillment of seeing the great classical dance tradition of  India continued through her daughter Dr Arathi Shetty  and grand daughter Kum  Satvika . Born in 1933 at Kumbhakonam, she married the great artist and teacher Shri Ramakrishna Alva. Her other teachers were Shri Dandayudhapani, Shrimathi  Swarnam Saraswathi, Shrimathi Gowri Ammal and Shri Karunakar Panikkar.

She started the Chithrambalam Dance Centre in Mumbai in 1959 and the Shridevi  Dance Centre in Mangalore in 1974. She has composed and  choreographed  10 ballets. Among the awards conferred on her are Natya Raani Shanthala by Karnataka  Government, Nrithyakala Shiromani by Karnataka Nrithya Kala parishad,, Rajyotsava award, Karnataka Kala tilaka by the Karnataka Sangitha  Academy. Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh and Ms Waheeda Rehman are among her disciples

5. Sandesha Journalism Award – Shri N Arjun Dev
Born in Kolar in 1926, Shri N Arjun Deva has been  a valiant  worker in the journalism  his field. Organizing journalists, training young journalists and working for the  betterment of their emoluments have been  his constant endeavours. He has been in the  journalistic field from 1950 – Paramajyothi,Taayinaadu, Samyuktha Karnataka and  from 1964 in Prajavaani. He retired in 1994. Now he is publishing his own Science  magazine “Jaana”. As an active member of the Working Journalists Association, he  has  worked for the establishment of the  Patrika Academy,  improving the  salaries  of the journalists and other things. His  journalistic training in Germany has also helped him. He had been directly involved in the Goan Freedom struggle. Among the awards conferred  on him are the Rajyotsava prashasthi, Patrika Academy prashasthi, Kempe  Gowda Prashasthi and several others.

6.Sandesha Cinema/TV Award – Shri Hamsalekha
Hamsalekha is a legend in the music world. Born in 1951 in Tulasithota, Akkipete,  Bangalore, his childhood name is Gangaraju.  From his childhood he was drawn to  dance, drama, music and acting. He was a visionary and wanted to promote the folk music and took several steps for this purpose. Among them are a free residential  school for tribal children to teach them academics and desi art forms. Then he stated a pre university college and next a degree college with the same purpose. Now he plans a desi university to make these arts a living experience. H  world and avoid wars is his message. For the last three decades his songs and melodies have been rocking the young hearts.He has provided music direction to 323 Kannada films, 8 Telugu and 7 Tamil films. Among his several awards are best music director national award , Best music director state award 4 times, Best lyricist state award twice, best music director Filmfare Award 6 times, Kempegowda award, Rajyotsava award and 11 awards from various associations.
7. Sandesha Best Teacher Award – Dr K. E. Radhakrishnan

Dr K. E. Radhakrishnan is  among the best educational specialists in India. The Hon Secretary of the BNES College, Bangalore, Founder of the Samudra Trust,  and a  Senate member of the Mangalore University has been working for the betterment of education.He has  held positions in the educational field all over India. He is a member of the  General Council of National Assessment and Accreditation Council of theUniversity Grants Commission.  He has presented papers in various international conferences. 6 books, 2 translations, 1 anthology of poems, 11 edited works  are among his works. Among his awards are Rajyotsava award, Bhargava Award, Sansa Award, Kempegowda award, Guru Raghavendra Sadbhavana Award, Gorakhnath award. Karnataka Open University has awarded him an honorary doctorate.

8. Sandesha Special Recognition Award  – Shri U.C.Paulose. Seon Ashram trust, Belthangady. Born in Kerala and  living in Gandigaagilu, Belthangady, Shri U.C.Paulose has agriculture as his occupation. He is married to Mary and has has four children. Once o0n his way back from Kerala, He saw  some mentally ill persons eating thrown out food from the garbage and fighting among Themselves for that food.. Can something be done for these people he asked himself. He discussed this with his family members It would be a service to God they  thought and decided to open a shelter  for these people . First they trust was formed in March 1999 and so far 1700 people have been  provided shelter. Among them are  physically disabled, mentally retarded, orphans, widows, school going children,  sick people  without distinction of caste or creed. Presently there are 328 inmates and  they are from all over India. Food, clothes, shelter and medical assistance are provided to them. Seon Psychiatric  Hospital and Little Flower English Medium  School are also run by theSeon Trust . There is a staff  of 60 people and the Trust goes on with the help of donors.

9. Sandesha Konkani Music Award  – Fr Valerian Mendonca
Born  in Shirva parish in1949 and musically inclined from his childhood , he has First rank in B. Sc., B.Th. . M.A. in English as his qualifications, Fr Valerian Mendonca  is a prolific musician. He has several hymns, anthems, songs, cassettes to his credit. As a choir master  while at the Jeppu seminary , gave him great impetus to his music genius.  He has  written the anthems for the St Joseph Engineering College, Vamanjoor, Pompei College, Aikala, St Mary English Medium School, Udupi, Vidya Jyothi School Vamanjoor. More than 68 of his hymns are included in the  diocesan music hymnal.  He has written Kannada songs  also which have been broadcast  in Akashvani, Mangalore. Along with his friend Fr Clement Mascarenhas, he has brought out several music cassettes – 13 in Konkani, 1 in Kannada, 5 in Hindi. After working  as Principal in several colleges,  served as the Director of Sandesha,  and presently is the Parish priest of Barkur and the Chancellor of Udupi Diocese.