Pampa Award

Pampa Prashasti
Awarded by Government of Karnataka
Type	Civilian
Category	Literature
Description
Description	Highest literary award of Karnataka
Statistics
Instituted	1987
First awarded	1987
Last awarded	2014
Total awarded	28
Cash award	₹ 1 lakh (1987 – 2007) ₹ 3 lakh (2008 – present)
First awardee(s)	Kuvempu
Last awardee(s)	G.Venkatasubbaiah

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.

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.

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.

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