Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru(DV)
Mangaluru, Nov 29: The prestigious 6th Moolathva Vishwa Award 2020 instituted by Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust was conferred on social worker Ravi Katpadi in a befitting ceremony at Dhyana Mandira of Sharada Vidyalaya here on Sunday November 29.
Ravi Katpadi is known for donning unique costumes during Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Udupi and raising funds to help the needy.
The award was conferred in the presence of Walter Nandalike, editor-in-chief of Daijiworld, M Purushotham Kottary, spiritual guide, Dr Manjula Anil Rao, dean of Vikas College and others.
Addressing the gathering, Walter Nandalike said, "This unique programme is happening because Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust has identified an achiever for the award by reaching out to the awardee and studying the facts about his service to society at the grassroots level. This is really appreciable."
Narrating his own experience of rejecting a felicitation by an organisation which invited him to send application for the honour, Walter Nandalike said, "Nowadays, some of the organizations, including government institutions, invite applications from aspirants to felicitate or honour them, which is a very bad development. Award presenters should come in search of achievers. Achievers should never go behind awards and felicitations.
"The work of Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust, which honours achievers by identifying them from across the country, is really a matter of pride to our city," he added.
He also said that serving the society with humanity should be the goal of any organisation.
Lauding Ravi Katapadi, he said, "Ravi Katpadi is a real inspiration and an asset to all of us. He has served the needy by donating Rs 54 lac by donning costumes and starving for three days for a noble cause. In future, may his donations for the needy cross over Rs 54 crore. People come forward to support Ravi Katpadi because they have faith and confidence in him that he serves the needy without any expectation."
Citing his own experience, Walter Nandalike said, "If you do good to the society, in return, it will be good to you."
Raja Mohan Rao read the citation. The award consists of Rs 50,000 cash prize, citation, trophy, fruits, 'Peta', shawl and a garland.
Acknowledging the honour, Ravi Katpadi said, "Fortunately, this my 6th year of donning costumes, and luckily, the 6th Moolathva Vishwa Award 2020 was conferred on me. I am really happy. I have completed only 10% of service to society, still 90% is pending."
He also said that his father, friends and media motivated him to help the society.
"Starving for three days out of 365 days in the year, while wearing costumes, is not a big deal. I only lost my weight," he quipped.
He also stated that as people kept faith and confidence in him, when the market was financially not doing well in the year 2018, he had garnered Rs 6,50,000 in collections. He also said that his dream is to donate over Rs 1 crore.
In his keynote address, Prakash Kotian said, "Harekala Hajabba's achievements inspired me to start the Moolathva Vishwa Award. Hajabba was the first recipient of Moolathva Vishwa Award. Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust chooses the awardee after thorough and transparent scrutiny and checking of facts at the ground level."
He also said that the Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust while choosing the award is not confined to the district, but selects recipients from across the country.
M Purushotham Kottary and Dr Manjula Anil Rao also spoke on the occasion.
Harish K Poojary, Kalpana P Kotian, Shynee D'Souza of Moolathva Foundation Charitable Trust were present.