Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Bengaluru, Oct 28: The Karnataka state government on Monday announced the names of 64 achievers who will be honoured with the Kannada Rajyotsava Award in their respective fields for their notable work on November 1.
Five personalities from Udupi such as B G Mohandas, founder of Gulfkannadiga.com, Vishwanath Bhaskara, international powerlifter, Dr Krishna Prasad, chairman of Prasad Netralaya, K Prakash Shetty, chairman of MRG Group and renowned artist U Ramesh Rao’s names are featured in the list.
B G Mohandas
B G Mohandas is a man of versatile personality and is the founder of Gulfkannadiga.com.
An alumni of Manipal University, Mohandas was the first chief pharmacist of KMC Hospital, Manipal (1972 to 76) and VISL Hospital Bhadravathi (76-79) and served as an assistant professor in College of Pharmacy before migrating to Gulf (1982).
He served as the country manager (Pharmacy) in New Medical Centre Healthcare for over two decades and later served as head, department of pharmacy and clinical services at Gulf Medical University Hospital, Ajman UAE, before returning to Manipal in 2014.
Being a well-known NRI, BG Mohandas served as the president of Indian Pharmaceutical Forum UAE and Karnataka Sangha Dubai for many years in various positions and was the president in 1989.
A former secretary of Manipal Jaycees, he is the recipient of Outstanding Alumni Award from COPS, Manipal University and the prestigious ‘Mayura Award’ and ‘Da Ra Bendre’ award presented by Karnataka Sangha Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, besides many social and professional accolades.
Vishwanath Bhaskara
Born in Balikere village in Kundapura Taluq to Bhaskar Ganiga and Padmavathi, Vishwanath Bhaskara is powerlifter champion of international repute.
Winning gold medal in Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship held in Canada in September 2019 and gold medal in Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship held in South Africa in 2017 are some of his notable achievements.
K Prakash Shetty
K Prakash Shetty is the founder Chairman of MRG Group. Shetty is a passionate and committed hospitality magnate with over two and half decades of experience in the realms of hospitality and real estate. His passion for fine dining began with his launching of Banjara in 1993, and since then there was no looking back.
His innate desire to provide a dining experience that was unique made him forge ahead with the formation of a slew of restaurants and hotels. His astute leadership skills ensured that Goldfinch, a brand he created for his boutique hotel chain was unmatched with their understated luxury and sophistication. His growth as a formidable businessman was underlined when he moved with purpose and conviction into the realty sector and diversified his businesses into infrastructure with the launch of Trishul Buildtech and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Asha City Builders and Developers. The launch of the Raheja Waterfront in Kulai, Mangalore in March 2011 was a high point in this direction.
In spite of his phenomenal growth and success, Shetty is still committed to societal needs and a strong leaning to help the poor and underprivileged. He continues to assist and aid numerous students with their educational needs. His contribution towards the building of the Asha Prakash Shetty Bhavana Convention Hallat the Bunts Sangha in Bengaluru is one of his many such actions to aid society at large.
Dr Krishna Prasad
Dr Krishna Prasad is a well-known ophthalmologist in Udupi. Being the director of Prasad Netralaya, he has treated several eye conditions for years.
Dr Krishna Prasad had his basic medical training (MBBS) from JJM Medical College, Davangere. He did his masters in ophthalmic surgery from the same institution. Later, he obtained contact lens training from L.V. Prasad eye institute Hyderabad and did a fellowship in microsurgery from the Lions Nab eye hospital, Meeraj, along with phaco training from Project Drishti, Bengaluru.
U Ramesh Rao
Ramesh Rao was born in Udupi, Karnataka, in 1949. He was born among the family of artists and he was inspired to be an artist by his father Ramakrishna, who was an art teacher, and his brother Bhaskar who is a well-known painter, now settled in Bengaluru. Ramesh is an entirely self-taught painter, and has evolved his own individualistic style of painting where real life motifs are his inspirations.
A winner of many prestigious awards, Rao has been instrumental in the development of art by founding amongst other groups, the “Artists Forum”, a group of artists and art professionals in Karnataka and the Drishya School of Arts in Udupi, which in 2003 opened a wing in Manipal as well.
The 64 personalities selected to receive Kannada Rajyotsava Award 2019 are:
Literature: Dr Manjappa Shetty Masagali, Prof B Rajashekarappa, Chandrakanth Karadalli,Dr Saraswathi Chimmalagi
Theatre: Parashuram Siddi, Pal Sudrashan, Hooli Shekhar, N Shivalingaiah, Dr H K Ramanath, Bhargavi Narayan
Music: Chote Rahmath Khan, Nagavalli Nagaraj, Dr Muddu Mohan, Srinivasa Udupa
Folk Art: Neelgararu Doddagavibasappa, Holabasaiah Dundaiah Sambalad, Bheemsingh Sakaram Rathod, Usman Saab Khadar Saab, Kotresha Chennabasappa Kotrappanavar, K R Hosalayya
Sculpture: V V Deshpande, K Jnaneshwar
Painting: Ramesh Rao, Mohan Sitanoor
Sports: Vishwanath Bhaskar Ganiga, Chenada A Kuttappa, Nandita Naganagoudar
Yoga: Srimathi Vanithakka, Kumari Khushi
Yakshagana: Dr Shridhara Bhandary
Bayalata: Y Mallappa Gavayi
Films: Shailashree
TV: Jayakumar Kodaganura
Education: N R Gunjaal, Prof T Shivanna, Dr K Chidananda Gowda, Dr Gururaj Karajagi
Miscellaneous: Dr Vijay Sankeshwar, N T Shantha Gangadhar, Dr Channaveera Shivacharya, LT Gen BNBM Prasad, Dr N Someshwar, K Prakash Shetty
Journalism: B V Mallikarjunaiah
Co-operation: Ramesh Vaidya
Social service: S G Bharathi, Kattige Channappa
Agriculture: B K Devarao,Vishveshwar Sajjan
Environment: Saalumarada Veerachar, Shivaji Chatrappa Kaaganikar
Organisations/groups: Prabhat Art International, Sri Patanjali Yoga Shikshana Samiti, Hanumanthapura
Medicine: Dr Hanumantharaya Pandit, Dr Anjanappa, Dr Nagarathna, Dr G T Subhash, Dr Krishna Prasad
Judiciary: Kumar N
Expats: Jayavanth Mannoli, Gangadhar Bevinakoppa, B G Mohandas
Cottage industry: Navaratna Indukumar
Literary criticism: K V Subramanyam