Over the past years, we have been conferring state-level SANDESHA awards to acknowledge and honour those who are working in various humanitarian sectors of our society by using their talents and creative abilities and to the achievers through Literature, Journalism, Arts and Media. A special recognition award honours meritorious service to the needy of the society.
Karnataka State level Annual Sandesha Awards: to recognize and appreciate excellence in the field of literature, art, journalism, and cinema for promoting better understanding and harmony in the society and for meritorious service to the community. It has a unique place in the society and in fact has become a coveted honour. Started in 1991, these awards have been instituted by the friends and well-wishers of Sandesha with a substantial donation and the interest from these amounts are given away as prizes for literature, art, journalism, education, cinema and meritorious service to the society. Each of these awards carries a cash prize of Rs 10,000 apart from the trophy, and a citation.
The awardees are selected from all over Karnataka by a competent and independent Jury who do their work without fear or favour. In fact, Mr Veerappa Moily, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka has lauded the way the awardees are selected and said the Government and other agencies, which give away awards, could learn from Sandesha. Among the previous recipients of these awards are Prof. U.R. Ananthamoorthy, Sri Poornachandra Tejaswi, Dr Gowrish Kaikini, P. Lankesh, Dr Naage Gowda, Dr Jaware Gowda, Ninasam, Santha Shishunala Sharifa, Keladi Gunda Jois, Sri Na D’Souza, Dr Karim Khan, Prof. Amrith Someshwar, Dr B. A. Vivek Rai, Dr Vamana Nandavara, Sri Rajendra Sing Babu, Vaidehi, Kumvee, H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, G.S. Jayadeva and others.
