Vijayawada: Senior actor Misro conferred with Kowtha Purnanandam Award

Vijayawada: Susil Kumar Misro, the senior-most theatre personality, was presented the Kowtha Purnanandam Award for the year 2021 by Kowtha Purnanandavilas Trust during the Ugadi celebrations on Tuesday at Kowtha Purnanadam Kala Vedika.

Misro has been in theatre for the last 65 years and acted in many memorable plays and received many awards from different parishads like Andhra Nataka Kala Parishad, LKN, Pantam Padmanabha parishad. Nandi Nataka Parishad organised by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, GSR Murthy Nataka Parishad, Sumadhura Kala Niketan and other parishads conducted in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Sattenapalli, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad. He also acted in many films like Andamina Anubhavam, Sirivennela, Sagara Sangamam, Maro Cheritra and Srivariki Premalekha. He also appeared in many TV serials produced by ETV, Maa TV, and Doordarshan channel.

On the occasion of Ugadi, Kowtha Venkata Subbarao, trustee presented Kowtha Purnanandam Smaraka Puraskaram 2021 and felicitated him with a shawl, memento and a cash award of Rs 10,000.

On the occasion, Subbarao said that the award was constituted in memory of his father late Kowtha Purnanandam, who strived for promoting live arts. He said that the tradition which was formulated by their great grandfather will continue in future as well. Kowtha Subbarao's son Kowtha Purnanandam was also present on the stage.

SK Misro expressing his thanks for the felicitation said that there have been no revolutionary changes in Telugu drama because of many constraints. He said that people should come forward to protect the live art. He expressed unhappiness that youngsters are not evincing interest to take part in drama. He appealed to the audience to encourage their children to come forward to take part in dramas. Drama will teach culture, expression and behaviour, he emphasised.

Earlier Misro inaugurated the plaque and the photo exhibition of Kowtha family which was arranged on the same premises. The programme was compeered by HVRS Prasad,

Later, the members of Samskara Bharathi presented the songs on Ugadi like 'Oho oho Vasantama', Enta Chakkanidoyiee Poola Thota', 'Kommallo Koyilamma'. Satyavathi, Jyothi, Ramalakshmi, Seetaratnam, Suhasini, Saraswathi, Dr Pallavi, Bharathi and Satya melodiously rendered these songs. P Vijaya Bhaskara Sarma, PVN Krishna, D Srinivas, Ramkumar and others also shared the dais.