The Sarojini Naidu Prize for journalism has been awarded to Mangalore-based journalist Guruvappa Balepuni for his article profiling an ideal gram panchayat.
The prize-winning article, Idkidu grama panchayat—Grama Abhivriddigondu Jeevantha Madari (A living model for rural development), had appeared in the Kannada daily Hosa Digantha on June 14, 2011.
The prize includes a citation and `2 lakh. He will receive the award in Delhi on October 2. This is the first time that the Sarojini Naidu Prize is being given to a Kannada journalist.
His article deals with how Idkidu gram panchayat empowered the women, economically and socially. Balepuni’s previous articles, too, have made waves. One such article had appeared in the same daily on September 16, 2004. He had written about a villager, Hajabba, who used to sell oranges and utilised that money to build a school in Harekala-Pavoor in Mangalore taluk.
After the article was published, help poured in for Hajabba.
The government had then recognised Hajabba’s effort in promoting education in rural areas and helped him with funds and other material.
