Senior journalist Ravi Nakalagudu awarded for excellence in work

Hassan: Ravi Nakalagudu, a senior journalist from Hassan, has been awarded the Salumarada Thimmakka National Greenery Award. The award was instituted in memory of noted environmentalist Thimmakka.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will present the award to 15 persons including Ravi Nakalagudu, at a ceremony to be held at Ambedkar Bhawan in Bengaluru on September 26.

Ravi is a recipient of several state-level awards including the Media Academy Award and is a special invitee member on the Executive Committee of the Karnataka State Journalists Association.

“I am very happy that I have been selected for the award in recognition of my service.  Especially, getting this honour in the name of Salumarada Thimmakka, who has spread environmental awareness across the country, has doubled the joy,” he said adding, the award has also increased his responsibility.

Nakalagudu observed that Hassan was a geographically unique district in the state.  “It is the responsibility of everyone in the society to preserve the Western Ghats from any further damage for the next thousands of years. It is a tragedy that such a situation is created. Everyone is aware about the environment and feel that they need to save the environment,” he said.

Nakalaguda expressed grave concern over the deterioration in the quality of the agricultural soil due to widespread use of fertilizers and pesticides. “Today, 90 percent of the farmers are using these destructive chemicals and this will finally result in the land becoming barren,” he warned.

In recent years only, agriculturists are waking up to the importance of organic farming and the forest department needs to enforce safe agricultural practices, he said.

 Born in a rural farming family, Nakalaguda came to Hassan at the age of 12.  He has been involved in the field of journalism for the past 30 years, starting with the job of distributing newspapers even as he was pursuing his education. 

In addition, during his tenure as Honorary President of Karnataka Sahitya Parishad, Nakalagudu organized hundreds of programmes and worked to identify young writers.  He has been giving support to many athletes as well.