Abbakka award for Shakunthala, Geethabai

Addressing a press conference here, Mangalore MLA and Veerarani Abbakka Utsava Samiti Honourary President U T Khader said that the awards, which includes Rs 10,000 and citation, will be presented to the achievers at the valedictory of the festival on May 23.

Home Minister Dr V S Acharya, District-in-Ccharge Minister J Krishna Palemar will be the guests.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will be the guest at the cultural programme titled ‘Abbakka Devige Nada Prabhu Namana’.

Various cultural programmes and sessions will also be held as part of the festival, he added.
Briefing about awardees, Samiti General Secretary Bhaskara Rai Kukkuvalli said that Shakunthala Bhat, who writes in Kannada and Tulu with the pen name ‘Swati’, has written more than 100 literary works. Bhat, who has also contributed to the fields of dance, drama and Yakshagana, is a winner of several honours including District Rajyotsava Award, he added.

Geethabai Ullal, who was born in a poor family, had participated in several national and international powerlifting events.  She had bagged a total of 23 State-level gold medals in powerlifting and benchpress competitions from 1996 onwards, Kukkuvalli said.

Geethabai, who had participated in the International-level Powerlifting Championship held at Finland in 1999, is selling plastic bags in fishmarket to keep the pot boiling, he added.
Reception Committee President K Jayarama Shetty, Executive President Dinakar Ullal and Vice President Hyder Parthipady were present.