From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Nov 2: Chief minister, B S Yediyurappa conferred the Ekalavya, Karnataka Kreeda Ratna, Lifetime Achievement, Sports Sponsor and NSS awards at a function in the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha in the city on Monday.
The BJP government led by chief minister B S Yediyurappa got the honour of choosing the recipients and winners of the state’s highest sports awards on the very next day of Karnataka’s 65th Rajyotsava Day celebrations.
The selection and announcement of the coveted awards had been held up without being presented during the last three years of 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The Kannada and Culture as well as Sports, Youth Empowerment and Tourism minister C T Ravi announced the names of the awardees for the three years on Sunday.
Apart from minister C T Ravi, revenue minister R Ashok, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, additional chief secretary Kalpana and other dignitaries attended the function.
In all, there have been 31 persons, including Indian cricketers K L Rahul and Mayank Agarwal who are playing in the Indian Premier League tournament presently going on in the United Arab Emirates, who have been selected for the Ekalavya Awards. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 2 lac each.
There are six persons – M Frederick (Hockey-Bengaluru), Dr Mohammed Ilias Patel (Volley Ball), R Manjunath (Kabaddi) for 2017, C A Karumbayya (Hockey – Bengaluru), R Manjunath (Kabaddi) for 2018, and woman cricketer Shantha Rangaswamy (Bengaluru) and Sanjiva R Kanaka (Kho Kho – Shivamogga) – chosen for the Lifetime Achievement awards. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lac each.
As many as five institutions have been selected for the sports sponsors awards with cash prizes of Rs 5 lac each, while there are 27 sports achievers, who get cash prizes of Rs 1 lac each.
The Mangalore University (2019-20), V R Deshpande Memorial Trust, Haliyal (2018-19), Sri Siddaganga Education Trust, Tumakuru and Maniprabhu Sports Academcy, Bidar for 2020-21 are the winners of the Sports Sponsors Awards.