On August 18, the city of Mangaluru will play host to the Namma Kambala Awards ceremony for the year 2026, jointly organized by Namma Kudla Channel and Namma Kambala Team Dubai. Kadri Navaneeth Shetty, COO of Namma Kudla Channel, made this announcement on Friday at the Mangaluru Press Club. The awards ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Palemar Convention Center in Maryhill, will recognize the outstanding achievements of buffaloes, their owners, and runners who excelled in various categories during the last Kambala season. The winners will be awarded in categories such as Series Best, First, Second, and Third, based on their performance. Senior runner Nakre Jayakara Madiwala will be conferred with the prestigious ‘Kambala Bolli 2026’ award. Additionally, the popular buffaloes ‘Taate’ owned by Iruvail Panila and ‘Doni’ owned by Bolada Guttu will receive the Namma Kudla Best Buffalo Award. Balkunje Guttu Mallika Yashwanth Shetty will also be given a special award. The program will be inaugurated by Duganna Savantharasu of Mulki Seeme Arasu Kambala, while Dr. K. Prakash Shetty, founder of MRG, will preside over the awards presentation. The ceremony will also see the release of the Namma Kambala 2025-26 information handbook by Shashidhar B. Shetty, founder of Shashi Catering Services Baroda. Several dignitaries, including Minister U.T. Khader and MP Brijesh Chowta, are expected to attend the ceremony. The press conference was attended by Harish B. Karkera, Suresh B. Karkera, Leelaksha B. Karkera, Manager Sudarshan Kotian, and Dayananda Kateel.
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📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK