Sandesha Award: Saa Shi, Paul Moras among 7 recipients

MANGALORE: Writers Saa Shi Marulayya and Paul Moras are among the eight individuals who have been selected for the 'Sandesha Awards 2011' conferred by Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education. Veereshwara Punyashrama of Gadag is the sole institution among 10 awardees to be selected for Sandesha Award. Body builder Raymond D'Souza of Mangalore has been chosen for the Sandesha Special Recognition Award.
Na D'Souza, chairperson of the Sandesha Jury awards, who announced the list here on Tuesday said Marulayya has been selected for the Sandesha Kannada literature award, Moras for Konkani literature, and Kudkady Vishwanatha Rai of Puttur for Tulu literature. Vittal Shetty of Mangalore will receive the Sandesha arts award, and M S Narasimha Murthy, cinema/tv award.
Bangalore based Gauri Lankesh is the recipient of Sandesha journalism award, while Veereshwara Punyashrama, Gadag has been selected for media education award. Fr Sunith Prabhu of Bangalore will take home the best teacher award, and Fr Walter Albuquerque of Mangalore the Konkani Kogal Wilfy Rebimbus memorial Sandesha Konkani Music award. Raymond gets the special recognition award.
Each award carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a citation, a shawl and a trophy. Rev Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangalore and will preside over the function. Rev Henry D'Souza, Bishop of Bellary and Chairman, Sandesha Foundation will grace the occasion. T C Shivashankara Murthy, vice-chancellor, Mangalore University will be the chief guest at the awards function that would be held at Sandesha here on February 13.
Na D'Souza said the jury comprising eminent persons such as Richard Louis, Na Da Shetty, Fr Mark Valder, Sara Abubakkar, Chandrakala Nandavar, Fr Charles Vas, Joel Pereira, and Concepta Fernandes Alva went by the track record of each of these individuals and the institution before finalising the names of the awardees. No applications were invited for this award, he added. Valerian Mendonca, director of Sandesha was present.