Rajyotsava awards: What’s the criteria?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : The district level Rajyotsava awards were presented to 42 persons on November 1 as usual. The award this time has been conferred on people both youngsters and veterans for their outstanding (?) contribution to variosu fields. But what’s the yardstick frr the selection for the awards ? This is a million dollar question. Also the question arises as to who should choose or select the awardees -whether the district administration or the district sahitya parishat.
As the district unit of the sahitya parishat has become a private body of its president Pradeep Kalkura, naturally doubts arise over the selection of awardees.
According to one source, Kalkura prepares a list based on the recommendations of his close circles. Then, he convenes a press meet and announces the list of awardees.
The achievers (?) who want to get their names included in the list have to undertake sufficient work. They should first write about themselves in a post card or else make others write about them, or convey the message through Kalkura’s close circles and shower praises on Kalkura. Those with money power can even bear a part of the expenses of the award function.
There are some who even say that if the selection process was that transparent, then veteran writer Hosabettu Seetarama-charya who passed away recently, need not have had to wait this long to secure the award. Considering his achievements, he ought to have received the award long back itself. All this may not be understandable to Kalkura and his group. But one thing is for sure, there has been politics behind the selection of awardees.