Vijay Kotian awarded for celebrating cultural unity
Mangaluru: Senior journalist Vijay Kotian of Vijaya Karnataka has been conferred with the 'Brand Mangaluru' award by the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Association for his reportage highlighting communal harmony in coastal Karnataka.
The award recognises Kotian's feature story titled 'Asif Adds Spirit to Tiger Dance in Khadi', published on October 2, 2024, which profiled a Muslim youth's participation in the region's traditional Hulivesha (tiger dance) while donning khadi attire—an act seen as symbolic of social cohesion and cultural inclusiveness.
The award includes a cash prize of ₹5,001, a citation, and a memento. The jury comprised ACP (CCRB) Geetha Kulkarni, senior journalist Jaideep Shenoy, and journalism lecturer Guruprasad, according to a release issued by Association General Secretary Jitendra Kundeshwar.
Kotian, who began his journalism career with Hosa Digantha, has spent more than two decades reporting for Vijaya Karnataka. He has previously been recognised with the P. Go. Award (2019–20), the B.S. Venkataram State Award for an investigative report on drug abuse presented at the Kalaburagi State Journalists' Convention (2022), and the Karnataka Media Academy's Abhimani Datti Award.
Hailing from Neerumarga–Padubondanthila village, Kotian is the son of Gopal Poojary and Kamala. The felicitation ceremony is scheduled for June 25 at 11 am at Patrika Bhavana in Mangaluru. City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy will present the award, in the presence of Association President Srinivas Nayak Indaje, Press Club President P.B. Harish Rai, and Patrika Bhavana Trust President Ramakrishna R.
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