Kalam to be conferred with Basavasri award

Bangalore, Aug 24: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam will be conferred with prestigious "Basavasri" award by the Karnataka Government at a function here on September 28.

Announcing this to newsmen here, Kannada and Culture Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad said that he called on the former President recently and the latter had agreed to receive the award from the government.

The award was given to eminent personalities on earlier occasions for social service.

Replying to queries, he said the award carried Rs 10,000,00 cash, citation and a shawl. The government decided to increase the award amount from Rs One lakh to Rs 10 lakh from this year, added.

On the change of name with regard to Belgaum, he said the State government was yet to receive communcation from the Centre in this regard. However, it was not mandatory for the State to get the clearance from the Centre and the State government would use the new name Belagavi after sometime, he added.

He said the government would also set up a Barry Academy of Literature in Mangalore with annual grant of Rs 15 lakhs. The Chairman of the new Academy would be announced soon, he assured saying that there were over 15 lakhs people belonging to this community in the State.

UNI