75-year-old writer K. Usha P. Rai and 32-year-old athlete Shreema Priyadarshini will receive this year’s Abbakka Award instituted by the State government. The award will be presented on the concluding day of the two-day Abbakka Utsava, which commences on February 29.

Talking to reporters, District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said the award will be given in recognition of their work.

Ms. Rai, a native of Udupi, has come out with seven novels, six collection of poems, and three collection of stories, apart from writing poems in English magazines. Two Tulu poems she has translated to English has appeared in the book Ladle in Golden Bowl, written by B. Surendra Rao and K. Chinnappa Gowda.

Ms. Priyadarshini, an official in the Indian Railways, who resides in an apartment near KPT here, has been participating in national and international athletics championships since 2002. Trained initially by Dinesh Kunder here till 2011, Ms. Priyadarshini was later coached by Indian superstar P.T. Usha. She has been winning medals in sprint events, discuss throw, and heptathlon. Mr. Poojary said each of the awardees will be given ₹25,000 along with a citation, and a memento.

Putting to rest allegations that the district administration has ignored the Ullal Veerrani Abbakka Utsava Samiti in holding the event, Mr. Poojary said the Abbakka Utsava is a district event and people from different sections of the society are involved in it.

“We have included some samiti members and added new people in different committees of the utsava. An event by the district administration will include all,” he said while brushing aside allegations that committees were dominated by members associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The State government has released ₹30 lakh for the event. Mr. Poojary said the State government was presently considering merging the Abbakka Utsava with the Karavali Utsava. It was also not holding any events related to Abbakka Utsava outside Mangaluru, he said.

National throwball player Poornima inaugurated a sports events held as part of Abbakka Utsava in Assaiguli on Sunday. District level painting, elocution and skit presentation competitions for students will be held on February 25. Poets’ meet and talk sessions on Rani Abbakka will be held on February 27.