Mangalore : Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has expressed his pleasure over the importance given to Tulu literature these days as was evident with several good works being brought out in Tulu.

He was speaking  after conferring the Honorary Awards of the Tulu Academy at a function held at the Town hall in Mangalore on June 16, Thursday. The programme was inaugurated by folk scholar Bannanje Babu Amin Kateel was also highly appreciative of the fact that the Academy was making good use of the government grants allotted to it.

The Honorary awards were presented to Seetaram Shetty, TA Srinivas and Bola Chittaranjandas Shetty. The Book awards went to Ratnaker Rao Kavoor, Dr Ashok Alva and Puttige Padmanabha Rai. Krishna Palmear, MLA presented the book awards.

Well-known writer  Hampa Nagarajaiah released a book titled ‘Kavigalu Kanda Tulunadu’ compiled by Vasanth Kumar Perla.
In his address Hampa said there was a harmoniuous bonding between Tulu and Kannada languages.

Umanath Kotian,  President of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy President,  Gulzar Banu, Mayor,  Kota Srinivas Poojary, Capt Ganesh Karnik, Legislator, K T Shailaja Bhat, Zilla Panchayat President and others were present on the occasion.

Aithappa Naik, a school teacher of Uppinangady, who has taken the initiative in teaching Tulu in a government higher primary school at Uppinangady was honoured on the occasion. Cultural programmes followed.