Popular Kannada film actor and director Ramesh Arvind has been chosen for this year's Dr Shivarama Karanth award. “The award is being presented to him considering his services at the national level as an actor, director, and resource person,” said Anand C Kunder, president of the Shivarama Karanth foundation at Karnataka’s Kundapura on Saturday, September 24. Since 2005, the award has been presented annually in honour of late Jnanpith Award winner, Kota Shivarama Karanth. “The award will be presented on the birth anniversary of Dr Shivarama Karanth on October 10,” he said.
Actor-Director Ramesh Arvind has predominantly worked in the Kannada film industry. He recently completed his 100th movie in a lead role in Kannada with the movie Pushpaka Vimana 2. He has also acted in various Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi films. He is also the host of popular Kannada TV show, Weekend with Ramesh, a talk show in which he interviews various celebrities.
The Shivaram Karanth award has been instituted by the Kalkura Foundation and is presented to special achievers every year. Among the earlier recipients of the Shivarama Karanth awards are Congress leader Veerappa Moily, educationist K Ramakrishna Hande, journalist Ravi Belagere, film director Girish Kasaravalli, theatre artiste Jayashree, Mohan Alva, environmentalist Salu Marada Thimmakka, Yakshagana artist Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, writer Jayanth Kaikini, dramatist Sadananda Suvarna, professor BM Hegde, actor Prakash Rai, water and environment expert Sri Padre, Kavita Mishra, writer Dr SL Bairappa and ‘Bridgeman of India’, Girish Bharadhwaj.
Kotathattu gram panchayat president Ashwini Dinesh, selection committee member U S Shenoy, Kannada and Culture department assistant director Poornima, and the foundation chief secretary Narendra Kumar Kota were among those present.
Popular Kannada novelist and playwright K Shivarama Karanth was also a social and environmental activist. He wrote several books that are still popular today, including ‘Bettada Jeeva’, ‘Marali Mannige’, ‘Alida Mele’, ‘Mookajjiya Kanasugalu’, and ‘Chomana Dudi’. While ‘Marali Mannige’ received much praise, Mookajjiya Kanasugalu won him the Jnanpith Award for Kannada Literature. Special achievers in various fields are presented the Shivarama Karanth award on his birth anniversary, October 10.
(With PTI inputs)