The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Kannada Book Authority sets a precedent

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 20, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kannada Book Authority sets a precedent

Special Correspondent

Folk singer invited to best publication award function

Bangalore: The Kannada Book Authority has set a new precedent by inviting a rural non-writer folk singer Madaganahatti Dasappa for the presentation of the prestigious best publication award to the reputed Navakarnataka Publications Private Limited.

Mr. Dasappa of Tumkur district, who belongs to the oral tradition, has been rendering the famous “Junjappana Kavya” since his childhood. It is said that he does not know to read and write. The presentation of the annual best publication and Pustaka Sogasu awards was held here on Wednesday.

Authority chairman S.G. Siddaramaiah said that considering the stature and services of Navakarnataka Publications to the development of Kannada book culture for over three decades, the KBA initially thought of inviting noted thinkers such as Ashok Mithran. However, it had felt that inviting an unknown rural talent such as Mr. Dasappa was itself an honour both for the KBA and Navakranataka Publications.

Rendering the epic poem had been the ancestral profession for Mr. Dasappa. He was rendering the poem in the surrounding villages for propagating spiritual values and earning his morsels of food without asking for it. With the passage of time, he stopped going around the villages but continued to sing the poems when asked, Prof. Siddaramaiah said.

Mr. Dasappa said that the poem would emphasise the importance of violence-free social order and the triumph of virtue over evil, he said. He rendered some selected stanzas of the poem on the occasion.

M.A. Jayachandra spoke on the “Pustaka Sogasu” award winner books. Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka State Open University B.A. Vivek Rai presided over the function.

Asima Pratishtan’s Pakshi Prapancha, Charvaka Prakashan’s Chacha Nehru mattu Eechalamara, Ankita Pustaka’s Shabda Teera and Abhinava’s Gubbiya Swarga authored by Harish R. Bhat and Promod Subbarao, Erappa M. Kambali, Jayanth Kaikini and Bhagirathi Hegde bagged the Pustaka Sogasu (book designing) awards.

The best publication award carries Rs. 25,000 and Pustaka Sogasu award carries Rs. 20,000, Rs. 15, 000 and Rs.10,000 respectively in addition to a memento and citation each.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka