Six teachers selected for KUPMA’s Dakshina Kannada Best Teacher Award

Mangaluru, Oct 08, 2026: Six teachers from unaided private pre-university colleges in Dakshina Kannada have been selected for the district-level Best Teacher Award instituted by the Karnataka Unaided Pre-University College Managements’ Association (KUPMA).

The selection was made unanimously at a joint executive committee meeting of the KUPMA state committee and Dakshina Kannada district committee held in Mangaluru. The teachers were selected considering their professional and teaching experience and contributions to educational, cultural, social and literary fields.

The awardees are Prof. Anil Mascarenhas of Alva’s Pre-University College, Moodbidri; Dr. Prashanth Ramachandra Hegde, lecturer in the Biology department of Excellent Pre-University College, Moodbidri; Dr. Prasanna Kumar Aithal, Professor of Sanskrit at Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Pre-University College, Ujire; Prof. Prakash Nayak K, principal of Sri Sharada Pre-University College; Mrs. Yashodha U. Shetty, principal of Sri Ramakrishna Pre-University College; and Mr. Karunakara Balkur, lecturer in the Kannada department of Expert Pre-University College, Mangaluru.

The awards will be presented at 4.30 p.m. on October 13, 2026, at the auditorium of Siri Mathrushree Industrial Park, Belthangady.

Dr. M. Mohan Alva, president of the KUPMA state committee, will preside over the programme. KUPMA state committee honorary presidents Dr. K.C. Naik, Dr. M.B. Puranik and Mr. K. Radhakrishna Shenoy, secretary Prof. Narendra L. Nayak, vice-president Dr. Sudhakar Shetty, and executive committee members are expected to attend.

Also participating will be Dakshina Kannada district KUPMA honorary president Dr. Sanjeeva Rai, secretary Dr. Manjunath S. Revanakar, joint secretaries Mr. Ashwin Shetty and Mr. Sumant Kumar Jain, vice-presidents Mr. B.A. Nazir, Mr. Ganesh Prasad, Mr. Ravindra P., Mr. Pooran Varma and Mr. Chandrashekhara Raje Aras H.R., and treasurer Mr. Ramesh Kauduru, among others, district KUPMA president Prof. Yuvaraj Jain said.

KUPMA has organised the Best Teacher Award programme district-wise across Karnataka this year. The association also conducts workshops for its members, education conventions and annual conventions, among other programmes. The Best Teacher Award for teachers of unaided private pre-university colleges has been introduced as a new initiative this year.

The awardees

Prof. Anil Mascarenhas

Prof. Anil Mascarenhas is working as a coordinator at the Alva’s Education Foundation in Moodbidri and has extensive teaching experience in physics. He holds a postgraduate degree in Physics from Mangalore University.

He is currently serving as the coordinator of the CBSE section of Alva’s Central School. With several years of experience in education, he has worked in teaching, academic administration, student guidance and coaching for competitive examinations.

He secured excellent marks in Radiation Physics during his postgraduate studies and received the prestigious Homi J. Bhabha Award. He has also been actively involved in sports. While pursuing his postgraduate studies at Mangalore University, he represented the university badminton team in 1996–97.

Dr. Prashanth Ramachandra Hegde

Dr. Prashanth Ramachandra Hegde is a lecturer in the Biology department of Excellent Science and Commerce Pre-University College, Moodbidri, and also serves as its NEET coordinator. He has played a significant role in preparing students for competitive examinations and is known for training students for NEET, JEE Main and KCET.

He has 27 years of teaching experience and secured fourth rank in the UGC-NET examination in 2009. He has presented and published papers at national seminars.

He received the Sahyadri Ecologist 2014 Award. He submitted his doctoral thesis to Mangalore University on freshwater oligochaetes, microscopic aquatic worms, found in selected water bodies of the Western Ghats and coastal regions of Karnataka.

Dr. Prasanna Kumar Aithal

Dr. Prasanna Kumar Aithal is serving as the Head of the Sanskrit Department at SDM Pre-University College, Ujire. He holds qualifications including degrees in Sanskrit and Kannada and a PhD in Sanskrit and Classical Indian Languages from Mangalore University.

He has 14 years of experience in Sanskrit education and has also served as president of the Dakshina Kannada District Pre-University College Sanskrit Lecturers’ Association.

With a deep interest in Sanskrit language, literature and Vedic subjects, he has participated as a resource person in All India Radio programmes and various educational programmes. He has also been involved in Purana and poetry recitation and discourse programmes held at religious centres including Dharmasthala.

He has received the A. Shyama Rao Memorial Undivided Dakshina Kannada District Best Teacher Award from Srinivas University and the A. Shyama Rao Education Institution.

Prof. Prakash Nayak K

Prof. Prakash Nayak K is working as a professor in the Chemistry department and principal of Sri Sharada Pre-University College at Kodialbail, Mangaluru. He has more than 31 years of teaching experience and has also served as head of the Chemistry department.

He teaches second PU students for competitive examinations including NEET, JEE Main and KCET and regularly provides students with information about professional examinations.

He has participated in several international seminars and is a member of Rotary, through which he has been involved in various social initiatives.

Mrs. Yashodha U. Shetty

Mrs. Yashodha U. Shetty has 35 years of service at Sri Ramakrishna PU College and has worked as an educationist and academic administrator. Her career reflects a long-standing commitment to academic development, student growth, institutional leadership and holistic education.

She began her career as a lecturer in the Commerce department and gradually took on greater responsibilities in academic and institutional administration. She has served as principal of Sri Ramakrishna PU College for the past six years.

She has also contributed to yoga, health and wellness programmes and has seven years of experience conducting yoga camps and wellness programmes in Kuwait.

Mr. Karunakara Balkur

Mr. Karunakara Balkur, who studied in a government school and comes from a modest background, was involved in agricultural and dairy activities during his childhood before pursuing higher education. He has been working as a lecturer at Mangaluru’s Expert Pre-University College for the past 17 years.

He is also a Yakshagana and theatre artist and has been active in cultural activities through organisations and events including Sangeetha Bharathi Prathisthana and Karavali Utsava. He founded the Balkur Yaksha Kusuma Charitable Trust, through which he has organised Badagu Thittu Yakshagana programmes in Mangaluru, published books and supported artists.

He has also worked as a radio jockey at 93.5 Red FM in Mangaluru. His published works include the poetry collection Belaku and the essay collection Neninangaladalli Dr Shivaram Karantharu. He acted in the film Harikatha Prasanga, directed by Mrs. Ananya Kasaravalli.

During the lockdown, he conducted a successful 325-episode YouTube series on DVG’s Mankuthimmana Kagga. More than 25 critical articles on theatre and Yakshagana have been published in various newspapers and periodicals.

He has received honours including the Hometown Felicitation from Balkur Friends Youth Club and Balkur Sarvajanika Ganeshotsava, the Sadhana Award from Kota Mitra Mandali, and the Yuva Puraskar from Arehole Prathisthana and Basrur Sharada Mahotsava Committee. He has worked as a Kannada lecturer as well as an organiser of cultural programmes.