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Karnataka

Launch Kannada Ranga Jaatre: Chandrashekara Kambar

Special correspondent

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Achievers: Winners of the Karnataka Nataka Academy awards in Bangalore on Thursday.

Bangalore: Noted playwright and MLC Chandrashekara Kambar has suggested to the Government to launch an annual “Kannada Ranga Jaatre” to be named after the doyen of Kannada professional theatre the late Gubbi Veeranna to facilitate comprehensive and purposeful interaction among those concerned in the Kannada theatre.

Awards presented

He was speaking a function to present the annual awards instituted by the Karnataka Nataka Academy, K. Hirannaiah Award, CGK Award and the release of books and audio CDs of Ranga Geethegalu here on Thursday.

Mr. Kambar said that the Kannada Ranga Jaatre could be conceived on the lines of the popular Janapada Jaatre and the annual theatre festivals held in European countries. Holding such as a festival would help cut through the existing barriers in Kannada theatre. It would also a fillip in bring in all the schools of Kannada theatre under one roof for the overall development of Kannada theatre, he said.

Chairman of the Nataka Academy Srinivas G. Kappanna, who played an instrumental role in launching the Janapada Jaatre, was the right person to help the Government if it decides to hold the ranga jaatre, he said.

Noted artiste Master Hirannaiah called upon theatre troupes to stage socially relevant themes in rural areas with a focus on the immediate problems facing the country instead of attaching undue importance to Western themes.

Grants

Explaining the activities and achievements of the academy, Mr. Kappanna said that the Government had consented to extend annual theatre grants of Rs. 31 lakh for 16 professional companies. It had also sanctioned the promised grants. But the companies could not get the amount immediately as there were some technical problems.

However, the Government had assured that the problems would be solved by March 31. All the eligible professional drama companies had been categorised as those which had been serving the cause of Kannada theatre for over 25 years, for over 15 years and for over five years, he added.

Secretary in the Kannada and Culture Department I.M. Vittalamurthy, Director of Kannada and Culture Manu Baligar, nonagenarian stage artist and singer Enagi Balappa, and singer Paramashivan were present.

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