Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 30: Noted philanthropist and UAE-based entrepreneur Ronald Colaco is among the eminent personalities chosen by the Karnataka government for this year's prestigious Rajyotsava Awards.

Among the other recipients from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are human rights activist from Udupi Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag for social service, Dr Vaidehi for literature, Shivaram Jogi for Yakshagana, 'Nritya Guru' Ullal Mohan Kumar (dance) and Sahana Kumari for sports.

Historian Ramachandra Guha has also been chosen for the award.

Ronald Colaco, known and admired for his benevolent philanthropy that transcends barriers of caste and community, and that has helped thousands of needy, has been chosen for Rajyotsava award under the category of NRI/outer state achievers. His philanthopic gestures include generous grants to renovate/build temples and churches, support children of police personnel and much more. He has been a pioneer in providing infrastructure facilities for the benefit of the public at large.

Ronald Colaco

Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag

Vaidehi

Ullal Mohan Kumar, Shivaram Jogi and Sahana Kumari

The Rajotsava Award will be another among the several prestigious national and international awards he has received. Earlier this year, he was honoured with the Times Now NRI of the Year Award for philanthropy. He was also among the few Indians to have been invited to breakfast with US President Donald Trump. He was the recepient of the '2015 International Recognition Award for Leadership in Service Excellence' from the office of The Prime Minister of Australia through CSIA at the Australian Service Excellence award ceremony held in Melbourne in 2015, the only person chosen for this prestigious award internationally from among 80 countries.

Speaking to daijiworld, Ronald Colaco said, "Whatever social and charitable work I have done or I have been doing to the least of brethren of our society that I have come from, is purely with the true sense of my responsibility and obligations towards the society that I have born in, the society that I have lived in and the society that I have grown with. I have always wanted to live a life of substance. When I am talking about substance, it is not important what you do or how much you do and where you do, but what’s important is how many lives I have been able to touch during my given one and only life time from my Almighty God. However, during the course of my life, if I find some recognition and appreciation from any corner which could inspire others as I have been inspired from others, then I accept such honors with all my humility and gratitude."

Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, president of Udupi Human Rights Protection Foundation, has been a saviour of hundreds of lives, especially the aged who have faced harassment from family members or the government. Dr Shanbhag has been in the forefront of the fight for justice for the poor and the marginalized. 

Dr Vaidehi is a noted writer in Kannada, especially in the genre of modern Kannada language fiction. She is the recipient of prestigious national and state-level literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for her collection of short stories, Krauncha Pakshigalu in 2009. Born in February 1945 to A V N Hebbar and Mahalakshmi in Kundapur, she is the author of the novel 'Asprushyaru' (1992), a number of short story collections, children's dramas, poems and biographies.

Veteran Yakshagana artiste, Shivaram Jogi B C Road (76), has been serving renowned Hosanagar (current Yedaneeru) Yakshagana Mela since about a decade. Jogi is highly respected for his capacity to ably portray any role he is entrusted with. He has mastered the art of dialogue delivery that befits the role he dons on stage. Nice bodily features, Yakshagana dance steps which conform to the traditions of the art, rich voice and ability to present his side of the role in a mature manner have made him a name to reckon with in Yakshagana circles. Having worked with stalwarts like Samaga, Sheni, Agari Bhagawath etc he has amassed tremendous knowledge and learnt nuisances of the art.

Well-known Bharat Natyam trainer, Mohan Kumar Ullal, who had e earlier bagged 'Karnataka Kalatilaka' title, has been identified as an achiever par excellence in Pandanallur style of Bharat Natyam.Master Vithal and the late Rajan Aiyar Tripunathurai trained Ullal in Bharat Natyam. He later honed his skills in Pandanalur style of Bharat Natyam under the tutelage of the late Rajaratnam Pillai. He set up his 'Natya Niketana' dance centre in Ullal lin 1957 and taught this art to a large number of people. Mohan Kumar was bestowed with Nritya Academy award in 1985, Shantala Natya Prashasti of Kannada and culture department in 2012 and many others. Mohan Kumar is happy that this recognition has come seeking him although very late in life. 

Sahana Kumari has made the nation proud with her achievements in high jump. She is the current national record holder. Born in Kotekar in Dakshina Kannada, Sahana has represented India in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
 

Complete list of winners

Law:

1. Justice H N Nagamohandas - Kolar

Literature:

2. Dr Basavaraj Sabarada - Kalaburagi
3. Dr Vaidehi - Udupi
4. Maher Mansoor - Tumakuru
5. Dr Hanumakshi Gogi - Dharwad
6. D S Nagabhushan - Shivamogga

Theatre:

7. Belur Krishnamurthy - Hassan
8. Gudur Mamatha - Bagalkot
9. C K Gundanna - Bengaluru
10. Shivappa Bharamappa Adaragunchi - Dharwad
11. A Valalaxmi - Ballari
12. N Y Puttanaiah - Mysuru

Cinema:

13. K J Yesudas - Chennai
14. Kanchan - Bengaluru
15. Mukyamantri Chandru - Bengaluru
16. Hassan Raghu - Ramanagara

Music and Dance:

17. Vidushi Lalita J Rao - Bengaluru
18. Pandith Rajaprabhu Dhotre - Belagavi
19. Rajendra Singh Pawar - Bidar
20. Veeresh Kittoor - Gadag
21. Ullal Mohan Kumar - Dakshina Kannada

Folk:

22. Tamburi Javaraiah - Mandya
23. Shavamma - Koppal
24. Goravara Mailarappa - Chitradurga
25. Tayamma - Chikkamagaluru
26. Manappa Eerappa Lohara - Bagalkot
27. Krishnappa Govindappa Puradara - Haveri
28. Dengamma Karadigudde - Raichur

Yakshagana:

29. Shivaram Jogi - Dakhina Kannada
30. Balkur Krishna Yaji - Uttara Kannada
31. K Pampapati (Sarathi) - Ballari
32. Eshwaravva H Madara - Vijaypura

Social Service:

33. Veera Nayak - Mysuru
34. Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag - Udupi
35. Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali - Bagalkot

Miscellaneous:

36. Ramachandra Guha - Bengaluru
37. S Syed Ahmed - Bengaluru
38. H B Manjunatha - Davangere
39. Dr P K Rajashekhar - Mysuru
40. Prof B Gangadharmurthy - Chikkaballapur

Fine Arts and Sculpting

41. G L N Simha - Mysuru
42. Shanamma Myageri - Yadgir
43. Honnappacharya - Bengaluru
44. Manohar K Pattar - Vijaypura

Agriculture and Environment

45. Dr Bisalaiah - Chamarajangar
46. Abdul Khader Imam Sab - Dharwad
47. S M Krishnappa - Bengaluru (rural)
48. C Yatiraju - Tumakuru

Media

49. Kusuma Shanbhag - Kodagu
50. A C Rajashekhar - Ramanagar
51. Vittappa Gorantli - Koppal
52. Ramadeva Rake - Mandya