Vol.20 No. 12 December - 2019 DR. B. SAROJA DEVI NATIONAL AWARD FOR 2019 Smt. Sumalatha, Member of Parliament receiving the Dr. B. Saroja Devi National Award 2019 on behalf of Shri. Ambareesh from Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayana, Dy Chief Minister, Govt of Karnataka. Also seen Dr. B. Saroja Devi, Shri H.N. Suresh, Director, BVB, Shri. Abhishek son of Shri Ambareesh. The ceremony of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Padmabhushana Dr. B. Saroja Bengaluru. Devi National award for 2019 It was an event that was was held on 17th November, punctuated with poignancy, as Sunday, at the Khincha Hall, Dr.B. Saroja Devi bestowed the 1 [email protected] Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Dy. Chief Minister, Govt of Karnataka being honoured by the dignitaries on the dais. Award posthumously on actor mentioned were recipients of the Ambareesh, who passed away award over the years. on November 24 last year. The programme included an The award was first given in introductory film on Ambareesh, 2010. Ambareesh had been an his life and contribution to active participant during previous cinema. It also included an award ceremonies since the time interview with Dr. Saroja Devi. it was instituted, and his absence was sorely missed. Shri. H.N. Suresh, Director, welcomed the gathering and The event saw a host of the distinguished guests. personalities from the Kannada He remembered how Ambareesh film world who attended the attended all the previous award programme out of respect for ceremonies, and that he had come the rebel star, as Ambareesh half an early for the programme was called. Among them were last year. It was sad that Dr.J ayamala, Rockline Ambareesh was not around, Venkatesh, Ranga Raj, and that the award had to be Doddanna, Harini, Shivaram given to him posthumously, and Dr.Rajendra Singh Babu. he added. He also remembered The last three personalities how Ambareesh asked Saroja 2 Devi in jest why she chose to The award ceremony confer the award on female followed. The award was personalities alone. received by Sumalatha on behalf The Chief Guest was the of Ambareesh. deputy chief minister of Also felicitated during the Karnataka, Dr. Ashwath award ceremony were the chief Narayan. Shri. Suresh thanked guest, Dr.Ashwath Narayan, him, and Sumalatha, Abhishek, and Saroja Devi. Ambareesh’s wife, for their Dr Ashwath Narayan spoke presence, and Saroja Devi for of Ambareesh and Karnataka’s her direction of the event. efforts to support the film industry. Sumalatha is a well-known He said that Ambareesh was actress and now, Member of everyone’s Anna (elder brother), Parliament. She had come with everyone’s favourite star, who son, Abhishek, also an actor. maintained good relations with all. Shri. Suresh also commended He added that Ambareesh Sreedhara Murthy for creating launched all his projects whether and showing the introductory film it was his college or diagnostic before the programme. centre. Both would discuss Dr. B. Saroja Devi being honoured by Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Dy.Chief Minister, Govt of Karnataka and others. 3 Film fraternity during the award ceremony problems like the Cauvery whatever he could for film water issue or of the Kannada institutes and the industry film world and Ambareesh as a deputy chief minister. endeavoured to find a suitable He was happy that the solution to all of them. He was legendary actress, Saroja Devi, like a father to the fraternity of who began acting at 17, and film artistes,building a Bhavan for acted in 5 languages, was also them in Dr. Rajkumar’s name. a resident of his constituency. His grandfather was the She was an actress when it was legendary violinist Chowdaiah, not easy to be one and had in whose name the Chowdaiah brought much fame to Karnataka, Memorial Hall was built. The he added. deputy chief minister said he was He spoke about Sumalatha, happy that it was located in his a 5-language actress, and now constituency, Malleswaram. a Member of Parliament as an He further said one could never independent candidate, saying do enough for the arts, since our she was a case study on how to sense of identity and culture came handle politics, election campaigns from the arts. A film lover himself, and conduct herself with dignity in he said that films threw light on a situation fraught with pressure, the history, culture and literature and had also taken her husband’s of a place. Saying he would do legacy forward. 4 Saroja Devi wished to and was kind and helpful. Even speak mainly about her thamma till today, I have not met anyone or younger brother, Ambareesh like him. I was his wife for or Ambi, sad that he was no 27 years. I am a MP now. more. But that’s all because of him.” He was someone who gave Further, “He always thought about her a lot of support in connection how he could help people, never with the award over several considering what there was in it years. Everyone called him Anna, for him. When he visited a hotel while she called him thamma, she with others, he insisted only he said. She also thanked Bharatiya would pay the bill. He put a lot of Vidya Bhavan for its support year effort into the Kalavidhara Bhavan after year and commended the as he wanted to give back to the Bhavan on handling the event film industry. But this year, when it smoothly. She thanked the Chief was inaugurated, he was no more. Guest for having made the time Similarly, with this award by for the event. Saroja Devi, which has been bestowed on him.” Sumalatha began by saying she could not find words to utter, She concluded by saying, so overwhelmed was she. If “I dedicate this award to the Ambareesh had been around, it film industry which gave him would have been so much better, everything and to his fans.” and he would have accepted the Incidentally, the award has award himself, and been happy been given to the following to have received it. “I am as sad people in these years: as I am happy today. He was 2010 – Smt. Anjali Devi, always present at the award Jamuna Ramana Rao, and Harini ceremony all these years. S. Rao, 2011 – Vyjayantimala If he was not around, Sarojamma Bali, 2012 – Dr.Geetapriya, would not even consider holding 2013 – S. Shivaram, K. S. L. it,” she said. “She would call me Swami (Ravi), 2015 – Dr. K. G. now and then and enquire after Yesudas, 2016 -Dr.Parvathamma him and his health. Rajkumar, 2017 – Dr. Jayanthi He may have been rough in 2018 – S. V. Rajendra Singh speech but had a heart of gold, Babu. 5 BVB-INFOSYS FOUNDATION CULTURAL OUTREACH PROGRAMMES : NEW UPDATES The human puppet show and baul gaan by Birbhum Sanskriti Bahini held on Sep 5th at Kolkaka A total of an impressive Mewar, Tura Kalgi Dangal, 674 programmes featuring 6563 in which social issues are debated artistes attracting an audience of and the message conveyed approximately 200136– this has to society. been the substantial offering of At Pune Kendra Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan-Infosys (Maharashtra), a folk music Foundation Cultural Outreach programme, Povada, was programme since its launch in organised on the occasion of 2015 February and it has only Kranti Din;also, a musical grown from strength to strength. programme of popular songs The following programmes based on folk music Surabhi, were presented at various and Shyamrang, on the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kendras occasion of Krishnashtami; across India: a musical programme was Jaipur Kendra, Rajasthan, conducted on the life of noted organised the 300-year-old art of poetess Bahanibai Chowdhary, 6 BVB-INFOSYS FOUNDATION OUTREACH PROGRAMMES Loknarthan Utsav presented by Shri. Suresh bhai shikari and troupe held on Sep 28th at Ahmedabad Parimal; and a folk and classical Ahmedabad Kendra form of dance programme to (Gujarat) offered a dance showcase the Guru-Shishya performance on regional Gujarati parampara, Nrityotsav– 2019. compositions, Guruvar Darshan Virla Pamya. At Kolkata Kendra (West Bengal/ Agarthala), The human A Gujarati Bhajan puppet show and Baul Gaan; devotional programme, Nagar and Monsoon raga was held; Me Jogi Aayowas held. a programme on the recitation of A drama, Jallianwala bagh, Agomoni songs, Agomoni was was organised in association conducted,and a dance with West Zone Cultural Centre. programme, Nritya Navin - The original format of 2019. celebrating Navarathri with Hyderabad Kendra (Andhra chorus songs, Betha Garbha, Pradesh / Telangana) conducted was organised, as well as a dance a folk drama, Bhishma Vijayam programme, Loknarthan Utsav. Natakam; and a leather puppet show and puppet making Thiruvananthapuram Kendra workshop,Leather Puppetry (Kerala) offered a folk musical Making. drama originally from Tamilnadu, 7 BVB-INFOSYS FOUNDATION OUTREACH PROGRAMMES REPORT IN DETAIL RAJASTHAN Tura Kalgi Dangal by Shri.Mirza Akbar Beg Kauzi & party was held on September 23. Turra Kalangi is a folk song form which is more than 300 years old. The folk artistes pen down the on- Tura Kalgi Dangal by Shri.Mirza Akbar Beg going issues of society as Kauzi & party held on Sep 23rd at Jaipur lyrics and then sing them. Kakkarissi Natakam; It is always interesting for the listeners because of the constant Seethakali, an indigenous and inclusion of contemporary issues ethnic art form with a heritage of in the presentation. What makes a century,and a traditional art it different is that this style has equivalent to the modern two groups of singers. The first is stand-up comedy act, called the “Tura” and the other Chakyar Koothu. one is called “Kalangi.” Bhubaneshwar Kendra These two groups almost (Odisha) conducted the real wrestle while singing, thus making story of Kalpana Das who died the spectators feel that the in an Everest expedition - performers are quarrelling, too.