Kolhapur (Maharashtra) Renowned film-maker Jabbar Patel has been named for the prestigious 'Principal R.K. Kanbarkar Award' instituted by Shivaji University, Kolhapur, an official said here on Tuesday.

The award, named in memory of the late Principal Kanbarkar, carries a cash prize of Rs 150,000, a citation, a memento and a certificate, said Vice Chancellor Devanand Shinde.

Addressing mediapersons here, Shinde said the award would be presented to Patel, 75, at a special function on April 13 at the university.

Born in Pandharpur, Solapur district, on June 23, 1942, Patel became a qualified doctor but decided to pursue a career in theatre and films, starting with experimental plays, writing and directing them right from college days.

He is credited with taking Marathi theatre and films to a different level with creations like the "Ghashiram Kotwal", an adaptation on Vijay Tendulkar's similarly titled play, which attracted record audiences through the years and is ranked as a classic in Modern Indian Theatre.

Later, he directed-produced several acclaimed films like "Samna", "Jait Re Jait", "Sinhasan", "Umbartha", "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar", "Ek Hota Vidushak", "Yashwantrao Chavan - Bakhar Eka Vadalachi", "Mukta", "Musafir" and many others.

He also took part in many dramatic competitions and came in contact with top actors and founded the experimental group, 'Theatre Academy', besides acting in several plays himself.

Patel is also credited with making several documentaries and short-biographicals on various eminent personalities.

The late Kanbarkar, who served as the Vice Chancellor of SUK from 1980-1983, was a prominent social and academic figure in this erstwhile royal city of the Chhatrapati rulers of what is now Maharashtra.

After his demise in 2015, his wife Shalini Kanbarkar created an endowment of Rs 2.50 million to the SUK to set up the award which would be presented to eminent personalities from different walks of life or organisations.

The first recipient was eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao in 2016, followed by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in 2017 and Patel for this year.

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Vijayapura: Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has denied making any derogatory statement about Prophet Muhammad, clarifying that there was a misstatement during his speech at a Ram Navami event in Hubballi. "I did not speak about Prophet Muhammad. I meant to refer to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, but there was a mistake in the speed of speech," he said addressing reporters on Monday.

He alleged that members of the Congress, frustrated by their hooliganism and failure to collect their hafta (extortion) in Vijayapura are using the Prophet as an excuse to speak against me. “There is no culture of denigrating another religion in Hinduism. Our gurus and elders have not taught us that,” he said.

Responding to another controversy involving an audio clip in which he was allegedly threatened, Yatnal said the police are investigating the matter and that those behind it will soon be exposed. “No one can finish me. The Hindus of Karnataka are with me. If someone tries to finish me, the whole state will rise in protest,” he warned.

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