BELLARY, SEP 20: Bishop of Bellary Henry D’Souza congratulated the Sandesha Literary Award winner, poet and playwright for securing India’s highest literary honour Jnanpith.
Bishop D’Souza sent greetings to Kannada litterateur Chandrashekhara Kambar who has been selected for the prestigious Gnanpith Award.
The prestigious award instituted in 1961, carries a cheque for Rs 7.5 lakh, a citation and a bronze replica of Vagdevi.
Kambar is the eighth writer from Karnataka to have won the award.
His predecessors who have bagged the award include Kuvempu, Da Ra Bendre, Shivaram Karanth, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, V K Gokak, Girish Karnad and U R Ananthamurthy.
Born in 1937, Kambar, former vice-chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi.
Prof. Kambar was a recipient of the civilian honour Padmashri, besides Kabir Samman, Kalidas Samman and Pampa Award.
A writer who popularised the north Karnataka dialect through his poems and plays, Kambar also served as chairman of the National School of Drama, New Delhi from 1996 to 2000.
Prof. Kambar was the president of the Karnataka Nataka Academy from 1980 to 1983.
“Karimayi”, “Sangeeta”, “Kadu Kudure” are some of his major films as a director.
“Sangya Balya” is one of his most popular dramas.
The Shrine of Bellary Arogya Mathe was blessed and dedicated on 8th September 2000 on the feast of the Nativity of our Blessed Mother Mary in memory of the great jubilee 2000 and the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Bellary