Pampa Award
Context
Devanuru Mahadeva chosen for Kannada and Culture Department’s Pampa Award.
About Pampa Award
- Established year: 1987
- Awarded for Highest literary award of Karnataka
- Prize: Currently ₹5 lakh, a plaque, a shawl, and a citation
- Sponsored by: Government of Karnataka
- First winner: Kuvempu
- Ceremony: Presented by the Chief Minister, during the Kadambotsava, a cultural festival held annually in Pampa’s hometown of Banavasi in Uttara Kannada district.
- In 2015, Chandrashekhar Patil returned his award as a sign of protest against the assassination of the scholar M. M. Kalburgi.
About Devanuru Mahadeva
- Mahadeva emerged as a major voice in the 1970s Dalit Movement, known for his unique use of colloquial dialects and innovative narrative
- Kusuma Baale: His most famous novel, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990.
- Odalaala: A classic novella recognized for its deep compassion and portrayal of the Dalit life-world.
- Edege Bidda Akshara: A highly regarded collection of essays.
Awards and Activism
- Vaikom Award: Received the Vaikom Award for Social Justice in December 2024 for his advocacy.
- Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi: He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2011 but returned both awards in 2015 to protest rising intolerance.
- Language Advocacy: He famously refused to chair the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana twice because Kannada has not been made the primary medium of instruction in schools
Basava National Award (Basava Puraskara)
Context
Siddarama Sharanaru Beldal of Basava Yogashrama at Koutha (B), Basavakalyan, Bidar district, has been selected for the ‘Basava National Award
About Basava Puraskara
- Establishment: 2000
- Sponsored by: Government of Karnataka
- It honors significant contributions to social reforms, social change, and religious harmony.
- Purpose: On the basis of an individual’s achievements in the areas of literature, social justice, and harmony
- Cash Prize: ₹10 Lakh, a plaque, garland, and a commemorative statue (award).
- Frequency: Awarded annually by the Department of Kannada and Culture.
- First winner: Saraswathi Gora
Akkamahadevi Award
Context
Social activist K Neela (Kalaburagi) conferred for the ‘Akkamahadevi Award’.
- Establishment: 2016
- Sponsored by: Government of Karnataka
- It is conferred to recognize women achievers or women’s organizations that have made outstanding contributions in various sectors while upholding the values and wishes of the Shivasaranyas.
- Purpose: To honour women and women’s organizations serving the ideals of the 12th-century poet-saint Akka Mahadevi.
- Cash Prize: ₹5 Lakh, a plaque, garland, and a commemorative statue (award).
- Frequency: Awarded annually by the Department of Kannada and Culture.
Geo-heritage Site of National Importance
Context
Yana Caves declared Geo-heritage Site of National Importance.
- The Yana Caves in Karnataka have been officially declared a Geo-heritage Site of National Importance by the Ministry of Mines through the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
Geological Significance
- Location: Western Ghats of the Uttara Kannada district
- These caves are renowned for their rare karst limestone structures.
- Unique Formations: The site features 61 identified karst landforms, dominated by two massive monolithic black crystalline rock outcrops:
- Bhairaveshwara Shikhara
- Mohini Shikhara
- These formations date back approximately 7 million years and are composed of Precambrian dolomitic limestone.
- The new designation aims to protect these irreplaceable geological features from unregulated development while promoting research, education, and sustainable geotourism.
Geo heritage site
- Geo-heritage sites are locations of exceptional geological importance that provide unique insights into the Earth’s 4.6 billion-year evolution, climate history, and ancient life.
- These sites, which include rare rock formations, fossils, meteoritic impact craters, and spectacular geomorphic landscapes, are recognized for their scientific, educational, and cultural value.
- Geological Survey of India (GSI) is the primary authority responsible for identifying and declaring these as National Geological Monuments to promote conservation and geotourism.
- There are 34 notified National Geological Heritage Monument Sites of India.
Key National Geological Monuments in Karnataka
- Columnar Basaltic Lava of Coconut Island (St. Mary’s Island): Located in Udupi District, this site features unique columnar basaltic lava structures.
- Pillow Lavas near Maradihalli: Situated in Chitradurga District, these represent ancient underwater volcanic activity.
- Peninsular Gneiss (Lalbagh): Located in Bangalore, this is a distinct, ancient rock formation in the Lalbagh Botanical Garden.
- Pyroclastics & Pillow Lavas (Kolar Gold Fields): A site of geological significance in the Kolar District.
- Hutti Gold Mines: Listed as a significant site in Karnataka.