PANAJI: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat has said that his government has given due recognition to the small artistes from various strata of the society with the institution of Kala Gaurav Puraskar.

Mr Kamat was speaking as the chief guest after presenting Kala Gaurav Puraskar 2009-10 at a function held at Kala Academy on the occasion of Goa Statehood Day on Sunday. As many as 295 artistes have been honoured till date with Kala Gaurav Puraskar with this being the fifth year of the awards.
Congratulating the recipients of the award, the Chief Minister said that his government has always extended patronage to artistes. He said that these artistes have contributed to art, culture and literature as a mission. He also complimented people of Goa on the occasion of the Statehood Day and said Goa has achieved notable progress during the years of statehood.
The recipients of the award included Gurudas Navso Naik, Penha de France (drama); Shilavati Chanu Narvekar, Britona, (folk art); Luis Alias Jose De Calangute, Calangute (tiatr); Machindra R Mandrekar, Parra (music); Pandurang Dharmaji Shirodkar, Anjuna
(music); James Francis Braganza, Mapusa (film); Chico Da Costa, Mapusa (music); Anand Damodar Gore, Bicholim (bhajan), Dattaram S Shetye, Bicholim (photography); Balu Pundi Velip, Canacona, (drama); Sita Ram Pagi, Canacona, folk art; Hirabai V Bale, Canacona, craft; Balkrishna G Aiya, Loliem, fine art; Prasad Tukaram Sawant, Curtorim, Salcete, drama; Dr Anant Hede, Chicalim, music; H B P Ramchandra Y Paranjpe, Dhargal, Pernem, kirtan; Ramkrishna Jaydev Raut, Pernem, drama; Jagannath D Naroji, Pernem, craft; Manohar Pedenkar, Pernem, folk art; Kunda Shaba Prabhu, Usgao, drama; Ratnakar Datta Kamal, Dhakne Madkai, drama; Narendra Kashinath Kamat, Ponda, literature; Ramrao R Phadte, Bandora-Ponda, drama; Shrimati D Mardolkar, Mardol, music; \/asanti Mardolkar, Mardol, music; Dattaram Kashinath Ciaude, Mardol, folk art; Madhukar N Velingkar, Veling, drama; Yashoda Govind Gaude, Keri, Ponda, folk art; Sonu Pandhari Kerkar, Kurti, Ponda, folk art; Pandurang Bablo Gaude, Mardol, folk art; Umesh H Gaude Borkar, Borim, Ponda, bhajan; Mahadev V Gawde, Bandora, Ponda, folk art; Shivrai Tukaram Fondekar, Pontemol, Curchorem, music; Cirilo D Fernandes. Benaulim, Salcete, Tiatr; Duarte Amancio Pereira, Salcete, tiatr; Rama alias Anand Raikar, Salcete, drama; Joel Mascarenhas, Colva, Salcete, tiatr; Alberto Rodrigues, Salcete, Tiatr; Romano Leao Dias, Colva, Salcete, Tiatr;. Antonio Dourado, Majorda. Salcete, tiatr; Francis Xavier De’santa Philomen Almeida, Colva, Salcete, tiatr; Raghunath Budalkar, Assolna, Salcete, drama; Vishwanath Salgaonkar, Askawadda, Manderem, drama; Dr Francisco C Colaco, Margao, music; Adelaide Gilbert D’souza, Aquem, Margao, drama; Balkrishna Amonkar, Sirvodem, Salcete, music; Gajanan Vaidya, Margao, Salcete, drama; Arnold D’Costa, Gogal Margao, film; Ramnath Ganesh Naik, Rivona, Quepem, bhajan; Shripad Narayan Damle, Nagargao, Sattari, music; Vasudev P Gawas, Sanquelim, music; Caetano alias Jose Fernandes, Patto Ribandar, IIhas, music; Dr Sakharam B Nadkarni, Taleigao, music; Nilima Angle, Panaji, Literature; Ramkrishna Zuvarkar, Goa-Velha, literature; Arjun Kushta Babro, Mandur, Tiswadi, folk art; Pandurang M Shirodkar, Mandur, Tiswadi, folk art.
The Chief Secretary, Mr Sanjay Shrivastava welcomed the guests. Mr Vishal Pai Cacode chairman, Selection Committee, Mr Shreedhar Kamat Bambolkar, vice-chairman of State Cultural Development Committee also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Francisco C Colaco expressed his views on behalf of awardees Mr Prasad Lolayekar, Director of Art Culture, proposed the vote of thank, Ms Poonam Burye compered the function.
Mr Tomazinho Cardozo, president, Goa Tiatr Academy, Mr Pandurang Faldesai, Member secretary Kala Academy, Mr Kamlakar Naik Principal, Goa College of Music, Mr Menino Peres, director of Information and Publicity were present on the occasion.