Kollegal: Balagunase M. Manjunath, the poet who was praised by PM Modi in his 98th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on All India Radio (AIR) too has got an invite to participate in the Republic Day event in New Delhi.

“I am elated on receiving the special invitation and even the tickets have been booked from Bengaluru to New Delhi. I will leave for Delhi with my wife Pushpalatha on Jan. 24 and return on Jan. 29,” Manjunath told Star of Mysore.

Working as an LIC agent at Kollegal in Chamarajanagar District, Manjunath had won the first prize in the lullaby writing contest for his ‘Malagu Kanda’, a lullaby written in Kannada. The all-India devotional song, lullaby and rangoli contests were organised by the Union Ministry of Culture as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary (Ekta Diwas).

Manjunath won Rs. 6 lakh and a citation as part of the award. More than five lakh people participated in the competitions across the country. Soon after, PM Modi mentioned this achievement in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Feb. 26, 2023.

“Friends, in the lullaby writing competition, the first prize has been won by B.M. Manjunath ji of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka. He received this award for his lullaby ‘Malagu Kanda’ written in Kannada. He got the inspiration to write this from the lullabies sung by his mother and grandmother. Listen to it, you will enjoy it too,” PM Modi had said.

The first stanza of the 35-second sound clip translated to English reads: “Sleep, sleep, baby, Sleep, my smart darling, The day is gone and it is dark, The goddess of sleep will arrive, From the garden of the stars, Will carve out dreams for you! Go to sleep, Go to sleep, Jojo…jo..jo… Jojo…jo..jo..”