KUVEMPU NATIONAL AWARD TO NILAMANI PHOOKAN AND HOMEN BORGOHAIN

Rastrakavi Kuvempu Pratisthana, a Karanataka based literary organisation, has named two eminent Assamese writers, Nilamani Phookan and Homen Borgohain for its Kuvempu National Award. The award comprises a silver medal, felicitation items and a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh each, The award will be presented on April 21 in Guwahati Town Club.

The local collaborator of the award presentation function is the North East Foundation, a Guwahati based public charitable trust dedicated to promote of Assamese language, literature and culture.

Kadidal Prakash, secretary, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Prathisthana and Chandan Sarmah, coordinator, The North East Foundation, in a press release said that the function would be chaired by Prof. Ham Pa Nagarajaiah, chairman, National Kuvempu Pratishthana. Three writers, Agrahara Krishnamurthy (Kannada), Maher Mansour (Urdu) and Shyamal Bhattacharyya (Bengali), will be present on the occasion as guests of honour.

The Government of Karnataka had founded the Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishthana Trust (R) at Kuppali, in fond memory of Rashtrakavi Kuvempu (1904-1994), a household name in Karnataka, who was the greatest writer of 20th century in Kannada literature. As a poet, novelist, short story writer, playwright and critic, he was adorned with many prestigious awards including Padmavibhushan, Jnanpeeth, Rashtrakavi (Poet Laureate), and honorary doctorate from a number of universities.