Abu Dhabi: Karnataka Sangha celebrates Rajyotsava 2016 with grandeur

By Shodhan Prasad
Pics by Sonu Bantwal
Bellevision Media Network

Abu Dhabi, 12 Nov 2016: Karnataka Sangha – Abu Dhabi, an umbrella association for Kannadiga expats from India in UAE which has always maintained the mantle of Karnataka high in this golden soil by organizing Kannada programmes regularly and promoting art, literature and folklore of Karnataka successfully since so many years. This year’s Rajyotsava Day was celebrated with grandeur at Indian Social and Cultural Centre, here on Friday, November 4.

 

The daylong event to commemorate Karnataka Rajyotsava – 2016 was presided by patron of Kannadigas in UAE, Padmashree B R Shetty along with Dr Chandrakumari B R Shetty. The celebrations started at 10.30am on Friday with Manohar Tonse welcoming the guests and inviting the chief guests on to the stage to inaugurate the programme.

 

Also present were Indian Social and Cultural Centre president Rajan Zacharia, general secretary John Veigas, Karnataka Sangha  –  Abu Dhabi president Sarvotham Shetty and Committee members.

 

The invitees were honored with flower bouquets. Divya Sharma and group presented the prayer song followed by Kannada patriotic song ‘Kannadambeya Mukutuda Manigale’ during which the audience gave a standing ovation with pride spirit.

 

 

Well known VJ Avinash Kamath of Spandana TV Udupi was specially flown in from India to host the cultural shows. Avinash took over the stage and the audience in his own imitable style into the day’s programme. He introduced the whole days programme and soon presented a welcome dance ‘Sharanu Sharanu – Swagatha Nruthya’ choreographed by the renwoend Vidushi Rohini Ananth of Dubai.

 

Followed was ‘Shiva Thandava’ choreographed by Vidushi Sapna Kiran which was beautifully presented and appreciated. Next was colorful ‘Karnataka da Uduge Thoduge,’ Karnataka attires directed by Veena Mallya that saw thunderous applauses from gatheringd. ‘Kamsa Mardhana’ dance recital by Vidhwan C Navda was a sensational performance.

 

Da Ra Bendre Awards conferred
 
 
Every year, Karnataka Sangha - Abu Dhabi identifies a staunch Kannadiga who indulges and contributes himself greatly towards Kannada literature and art in this part of the world who will be eligible for this honor. This year, they unanimously identified and announced the multi-talented versatile art director of Kannadigas in UAE, B K Ganesh Rai who was welcomed on to the stage and bestowed with ‘Da Ra Bendre Award.’ Ganesh Rai received Award from Padmashree B R Shetty in whose organization he currently serves as a creative art director.

 

While Sarvotham Shetty announced the award, Manohar Thonse read out Rai’s achievements and the video presentation gave a colorful glory for the award function. Rai thanked Karnataka Sangha - Abu Dhabi, the patron, president and all the Kannadigas for the great honor he received while promising his continuous commitment towards Kannada. He also said that this is the ‘Rajyotsava Award’ for him which he missed to receive a few years ago in Karnataka.

 

Other honors

 

As like every year, this year too Karnataka Sangha – Abu Dhabi honored the Merit Students who were identified with the applications received from those parents of the students who had achieved 90 percent and above in Class X and Class XII and who excelled during the last academic year 2015-2016. Also those who have excelled in the field of sports (CBSE National Level) during the same academic year including the winners of Shaikh Hamdan Award and Sharjah Award were invited on to the stage and honored. While Ravi Rai and Althaf M S conducted the proceedings, Dr Chandrakumari B R Shetty honored the students.

 

Soon Sarvotham Shetty took over the stage and blissfully thanked all the sponsors of the event. He starting inviting the main sponsors and honored them with shawl and memento. Other Sponsors were also invited on to the stage and honoring them with shawls while the audience kept on applauding.

 

Vidhwan Chandrashekar Navada was also invited on to the stage and honored with shawl and memento. Delegates from Gandhi Bhavan Bengaluru Professor G B Shivaraju, S Narayan Swamy and V B Somashekar who had come to Dubai for ‘Gandhi Statue’ unveiling programme were also invited on to the stage and felicitated with shawl and memento.

 

At the same time, presidents of various organizations, representatives of media and Deepak Somashekara were all invited on to the stage and honored with shawl.

 

Special honors were for Nruthya Vidushi Rohini Ananth and Sapna Kiran who were felicitated with shawl and memento.

 

Like every year, Karnataka Throwball Players were invited on to the stage and honored with medals individually.

 

Special invitee Vasu Puthran, founder president Tulu Sangha, Borivali, Mumbai who is also a former secretary of Kannada Sangha – Kandivali was also invited on to the stage and honored.

 

VJ Avinash took over the stage again for the cultural part of the programme which continued with instrumental folk dance by Vidushi Sapna Kiran.  Followed was ‘Karnataka Navarasollasa’ beautifully presented by Vidushi Rohini Ananth.

 

Sumptuous wide spread buffet lunch was announced and the audience rushed and savored the delicious vegetarian dishes and quickly returned to grasp other cultural programmes lined up later.

 

Afternoon session started with ‘Kolata – Cheluvayya Cheluvoo’ by Mrudhuvani which was well applauded.

 

Later VJ Avinash announced the UAE Level Open to all Group Songs Competition. The rule had minimum 8 singers in any group who will be eligible and that the song selected should be either Kannada Folk, Patriotic or the one chosen from any emotion poetry. The duration should be within a maximum of 7minutes with 5 minutes maximum time limit allowed for the stage setting before the presentation. Pre-recorded music or Karaoke was totally excluded but musical instruments were allowed. While the groupwere totally dressed with purely traditional attire, repetition of songs were avoided by pre-registering in advance.

 

Karnataka Sangha – Abu Dhabi UAE Level Group Singing Competition winners
 
1. Da Ra Bendre Team Dubai won 1st place lead by Sangeetha Shetty and Team, Dubai
2. Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sanga Team 1 won 2nd place lead by Prashant Shenoy and Team
3. Abu Dhabi Karnataka Sangha Team 2 won 3rd place lead by Divya Sharma and Team

 

Sudhakar Pejawar, Vijaya Bhat and  Raviraj Tantry were the jurors. The winners walked away with Cash Awards and Trophies honored by B R Shetty.

 

Later Manohar Thonse took over the stage and announced the ‘Hanigavana Vachana’ rendered smoothly by Irshad Moodubidri, Prakash Rao Payyar, Gopinath Rao, Arshad Hussain, Avinash Bhat, Satish Kulal and Arati Ghatikaar.

 

Before the conclusion the participants and the co-ordinators/choreographers were invited on to the stage and honored with Prizes, the honors of which were conducted by Sarvotham Shetty.

 

Continued with the Raffle draw by Sarvotham Shetty along with Jet Air representative Karthik Ramalingam, Jayaram Rai, Shekar Shetty and all the committee Members presence the programme concluded in the late evening with vote of thanks.

 

On the whole the vibrant Karnataka Rajyotsava Celebration in Abu Dhabi was conducted with much pride and honor systematically with the hard work of all the Committee members of Karnataka Sangha – AbuDhabi lead by the leader Sarvotham Shetty.