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Kasaragod Chinna Chosen for the 21st Kalakar Puraskar

Kasaragod Chinna has been Chosen for the 21st Kalakar Puraskar, an award jointly instituted by the Carvalho family of Kundapur and Mandd Sobhann to honor artistes who have made significant contributions in Konkani Performing Arts. D. Vedavyas Kamath, MLA of Mangaluru South, will present the award, which includes a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-, at a ceremony on November 02, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Kalaangann, Shaktinagar. Linguist Dr. Pratap Naik and Mr Stanley Fernandes, a Businessman and great Patron of Art from Muscat will be the guest of honor. Mandd Sobhann President Louis J. Pinto will preside over the function.

Srinivasa Rao S. (68) is popular among the theatre fraternity as Kasaragod Chinna. He holds a DFA (Diploma in Fine Arts) with a gold medal in acting. Since his entry to Theatre in 1969, he has acted in over 400 plays in Konkani, Kannada, Tulu, Malayalam and English. He has directed several plays and translated many. He has showcased his talent on All India Radio and Doordarshan. He has performed hundreds of shows through experimental formats like "Lorry Naataka", "Geeta Sangeetha Ratha", "Yaksha Teru", "Kannada Swara", and "Mime. He has also ventured into Film Direction and acting. The Konkani feature film "Ujwadu", which he directed, received the honor of Best Regional Film in 2011.

As the President of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, he organized numerous programs. Through the unique "Ghor Ghor Konkani" (Konkani in Every Home) program, he instilled pride in the language among all Konkani-speaking communities. Through the Ranga Chinnari Trust he founded, he continues to conduct various cultural activities. He has also contributed to literature. His translated collection "Tees Kaniyo" (Thirty Stories) received the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Book Award. He has received the Konkani Academy’s Honorary Award, Karnataka Nataka Academy Award, Kerala Rajyotsava Award, and state and national level awards in the field of theatre, along with numerous other honors in the country and abroad.

Following the award ceremony, the 287th program of the Monthly Theatre series will feature the 17th Maxim Nite, a musical concert by Maxim Pereira and his team.

The Kalakar Puraskar was established in 2005 in the name of the Carvalho family, in association with Mandd Sobhann, to honor Konkani artistes. To date, the award has been presented to Arun Raj Rodrigues (Drama), Joel Pereira (Music), Harry D’Souza (Brass Band), Fr. Charles Vas (Devotional Music), Anuradha Dhareshwar (Music), Sant Bhadragiri Achyutadas, Bengaluru (Harikatha), James Lopes, Honnavar (Brass Band), Norbert Gonsalves (Music), Francis Fernandes Cassia (Drama), Roshan D’Souza (Music), Christopher D’Souza (Drama), Avil D’Cruz (Dance), M. Gopala Gowda (Folk Art), Dolla, Mangaluru (Drama), Irene Rebello (Wedding ’Sobhane’ Songs), Anita D’Souza (Singing), Nihal Tauro (Singing), Melvyn Peris (Music), Apolinaris D’Souza (Singing) and Roshan Bela (Music).