Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka Shilpakala Academy, Bengaluru, will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee at Vijnana Bhavan in Manasagangothri campus, Mysuru tomorrow (Oct. 10).

The programme will also feature conferment of Shilpashri Award-2022 and birth centenary celebrations of National award-winning sculptors late Devalakunda Vadiraj and late B. Basavanna (grandfather of city-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj).

Scion of the erstwhile Vijayanagar’s Royal Anegundi family Krishnadevaraya will inaugurate the programme at 10.30 am tomorrow. Vidwan Mysore M. Manjunath and Joint Director of Kannada and Culture Department V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy will be the chief guests. Shilpakala Academy Chairman Veeranna M. Arkasali will preside.

Senior sculptor from Bengaluru Ganesh L. Bhat will deliver a talk on ‘The Life and Artworks of Sculptor Devalakunda Vadiraj’, while P.R. Nagaraj (Babu) of Mysuru will speak on ‘The Life and Artworks of sculptor B. Basavanna’.

The valedictory will take place at 4 pm the same day, which will be graced by Sri Shivasujnana Teertha Swamiji of Vishwakarma Jagadguru Mutt, Aremadanahalli, Arakalgud taluk.

Minister for Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar will confer Shilpashri-2022 Award to 10 noted sculptors of the State. The awardees are: N. Raghavendra of Gadag district, K. Satish Acharya of Udupi district, K. Suresh Acharya of Vijayanagar district, Nagendra S. Kammar of Dharwad district, Ashok R. Badiger of Belagavi district, B.V. Shivakumar of Bengaluru, Nagaraj B. Kambar of Yadgir district, Veeresh G. Mayacharya of Bagalkot district, Ningappa D. Keri of Kalaburagi district and D.N. Chandrashekar of Shivamogga district.

Scion of Anegundi Royal family Krishnadevaraya will release a brochure on the awardees. Actor and Samskara Bharati Karnataka President Suchendra Prasad will be the guest of honour at the valedictory. Academy Chairman Veeranna M. Arkasali will deliver the valedictory address.

The event will also feature a Violin Duet by Vidwans Mysore M. Nagaraj and Mysore M. Manjunath.

Ever since its inception 25 years ago, the Shilpakala Academy till now (2021-22), has conferred Honorary Award on 138 sculptors and prizes to 122 other sculptors.

The Academy was earlier headed by K. Shyamaraya Acharya of Udupi, C. Parameshwaracharya of Bengaluru, N.G. Neelakantachar of Bengaluru, Venkatachalapathi of Bengaluru, Dr. G. Gnanananda of Chikkaballapur, Mahadevappa Shambulingappa Shilpi of Kalaburagi and R. Kalachar of Chitradurga. Currently, the Academy is headed by Veeranna M. Arkasali of Mysuru. This is the first time that the Academy is conferring the State-level ‘Shilpashri’ Award, marking its Silver Jubilee celebrations.