By Kamalaksha Amin

Bahrain/Bengaluru, Sep 12: The Karnataka government has officially sanctioned a grant of Rs one crore to the Bahrain Kannada Sangha following the special recommendation of Karnataka legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti, with chief minister Siddaramaiah granting approval.

The request for financial support was submitted to the chief minister by Bahrain Kannada Sangha president Ajith Bangera in the presence of chairman Basavaraj Horatti and Dr Aarti Krishna, vice president of the NRI Forum – Karnataka, who was recently sworn in as a member of the legislative council.

Responding to the appeal, the chief minister approved the release of the amount from the state government’s grant fund.

Earlier, during a visit to the Kannada Sangha building complex — described as the “first Kannada Bhavan constructed abroad” — chairman Basavaraj Horatti and health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had urged the chief minister to extend financial assistance for the Sangha’s essential needs and development works.

With this approval, the Bahrain Kannada Sangha will receive significant support to strengthen its infrastructure, development initiatives, and cultural activities. On behalf of the Kannada community in Bahrain, president Ajith Bangera expressed his gratitude to the chief minister.