The restored building where writer Shivaram Karanth worked was also inaugurated on Sunday.

On Sunday, Kinnikambala Padmanabha Rao, better known as KP Rao, from the Udupi district, was awarded the Balavana Award at Balavana in Puttur. The award is given annually, by the district administration, on Shivaram Karanth’s birth anniversary.

Mr. Rao commented that it is Shivaram Karanth’s understanding of linguistics that allowed him to write so many literary works. It is important for a writer to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a language, he added. Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor, while giving the award, said that India has made a lot of progress since Shivaram Karanath’s days. Mr. Rao is among those who have contributed toward Kannada and other Indian languages being used in computers and smart phones. “It is really an honour for me to give the award to Mr. Rao,” he said.

Earlier, MLA Matandoor had inaugurated Shivaram Karanth’s reading room in Balavana, which has been restored by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). This room, adjoining his house, is where Karanth wrote most of his literary works.

Senior journalist B.T. Ranjan was also felicitated and Bhargava, a book on Shivaram Karanath, was released at the event.

District in-charge Minister S. Angara was also part of the function. Puttur City Municipal Council president K. Jeevandhar Jain, Municipal Commissioner Madhu S. Manohar and Puttur Assistant Commissioner Yatish Ullal also took part in the event.