Has MCC forgotten US Mallya Awards?

MANGALURU: The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) seems to have all but ‘forgotten’ about ‘Ullal Srinivasa Mallya Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievements’ instituted by it in 2017.
International Saxophone maestro Kadri Gopalnath and three others were honoured with the first Ullal Srinivasa Mallya Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievements in their respective fields in 2017.

Veteran yakshagana bhagawath and artiste Agari Raghurama Rao (yakshagana), retired teacher K A Rohini (education) and athlete M R Poovamma (sports) were also honoured at an award ceremony held on December 9, 2017. Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade had bestowed the awards on achievers during the programme.

The city corporation also had observed the first City Corporation Day by giving opportunity for elected representatives and officials to showcase their talent on the same day. Though the then mayor Kavitha Sanil had announced that awards will be distributed every year, the city corporation has not taken initiatives to choose the achievers. The city corporation has not taken any decision on holding U S Mallya Award ceremony and observing City Corporation Day this year.

Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath said the city corporation should apologise for neglecting the announcement of U S Mallya Awards. “It is a testimony to the negligence on part of the Mangaluru City Corporation that they have forgotten about an award instituted in the name of U S Mallya, who was instrumental in bringing airport, port, national highway, fertilizer company, and several other development to Mangaluru. The Congress, which is in power at MCC, has forgotten its responsibilities,” he added.

When contacted, MCC council ruling party chief whip Shashidhar Hegde said, “We have not decided about the award ceremony. We will meet soon and take a final decision.”