Type Civilian Instituted 1987 Last awarded 2014 | Category Literature First awarded 1987 | |
Description Highest literary award of
Karnataka | ||
The Pampa Award (or Pampa Prashasti) is a literary award in the Indian state of Karnataka. The award was established in 1987 by Government of Karnataka. It is one of the highest literary honors conferred by the Department of Kannada and Culture, Government of Karnataka State. It is awarded each year for a best literary work, written in the Kannada language (one of the 22 Official languages of India) or for a lifetime contribution to Kannada literature by a citizen of Karnataka.
Contents
Award
The award is named after the first Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs. one lakh (Rs. 100,000), a shawl, a citation and a memento. However, from 2008, cash prize was increased to Rs. three lakh. Prior to 1996, the awards were given for a best single work by a Kannada writer. Since then, the award has been given to writers for their lifetime contribution to the Kannada literature. Kuvempu was the first recipient of this award for Sri Ramayana Darshanam.
Ceremony
The Pampa Prashasti is presented by the Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, during the Kadambotsava, a cultural festival held annually in poet Pampa's town of Banavasi in Uttar Kannada district.