Mysore/Mysuru: The ‘GoRuCha Endowment Fund Award’ for the year 2019 and 2020 will be presented at a programme organised at Navajyoti auditorium in JSS Women’s College, Saraswathipuram, on Aug. 1 at 10.30 am, under the aegis of Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat, Mysuru.

The awardees are as follows: GoRuCha Sharana Prashasti – Dr. C. Veeranna (2019) and Dr. Basavaraja Sadara (2020); GoRuCha Janapada Prashasti – Dr. B.S. Swamy (2019) and Dr. H.T. Pothe (2020); GoRuCha Sharana Sahitya Grantha Prashasti – Prof. B.R. Poleesa Patil (2019) and Dr. Basavaraj Sabarada (2020); GoRuCha Janapada Sahitya Grantha Prashasti – P.D. Valeekara (2019) and Dr. Kuruva Basavaraj (2020).

Suttur Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji and Dr. Sri Tontada Siddharama Swamiji will grace the occasion. Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat President Go.Ru. Channabasappa will preside. Writer and retd. Professor Maleyuru Guruswamy will deliver the felicitation address.

About GoRuCha Endowment Fund

Folk scholar and Kannada writer Go.Ru. Channabasappa (GoRuCha), who has been leading Akhila Bharata Sharana Sahitya Parishat efficiently serving the cultural sector, was presented with a cheque for Rs. 11,11,111 by his admirers and well-wishers, who set up the GoRuCha Abhinandana Samithi, when the writer turned 85 in the year 2014. The scholar gifted the amount to the Parishat adding Rs. 4 lakh to it from his pocket. This gifted amount has been instituted as ‘GoRuCha Endowment Fund’ and the interest accrued from it is being used to honour persons who have been contributing to Sharana Sahitya-Samskruti and Janapada fields (two in each category), every year. 

While ‘GoRuCha Sharana Prashasti’ and ‘GoRuCha Janapada Prashasti’ carries a purse of Rs. 25,000 each, GoRuCha Sharana Sahitya Grantha Prashasti and GoRuCha Janapada Sahitya Grantha Prashasti carries a purse of Rs. 10,000 each.

Apart from this annual award ceremony held on May 18 marking GoRuCha’s birthday celebrations, the Parishat is also awarding a cash prize of Rs. 5,000 to a PG student who secures high marks in Karnataka Folk University and is also conducting seminars, cultural camps and other activities.

GoRuCha Award Ceremony for the year 2019 and  2020, which was postponed due to COVID, is now scheduled for Aug. 1.