Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Nov 29: The Karnataka Rajyotsava awards of this year are announced and 63 eminent personalities including H L Dattu, retired chief justice of Supreme Court, Hiriadka Gopal Rao, senior Yakshagana artist, Guruva Koraga, Janapada artist, Margaret Alva, former central minister, D Surendra Kumar of Dharmasthala and famous director Bhargava.
The awards will be presented to the chosen personalities by CM Kumaraswamy on Thursday, November 29 at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha.
(From L to R): Margaret Alva, Gopal Rao and Guruva Koraga
Generally, these awards are presented on November 1, the day of Rajyotsava every year but this year it was delayed because of election code of conduct. In the present list, even people who have not applied for the award but were eligible due to their contribution for the state are selected for the award.
It is commendable that Kenneth Lawrence, a resident of Kolar, who was popularly known as 'Gentleman Sprinter' and who took part in the 1964 Olympics is selected by the state government for the award.
The specialty of this year's awards is a good mixture of senior centenarian citizens with senior freedom fighters. Guruva Koraga, senior citizen and Dolu artist from Udupi has completed 100 years of his life. Guruva from Hiriadka learnt beating the drum or Dolu right from his childhood from the elders in the family and continued in the same profession. He has carved a niche for himself in the Janapada field of Udupi district. Similarly, Hiriadka Gopal Rao, who is known as the 'Maddale Mantrika', is also 99-years-old. Gopal Rao, who is very famous in the field of Yakshagana took part in the freedom fight also.
10 from coastal districts among the awardees
Janapada artiste Guruva Koraga, Maddale artiste Gopal Rao, former central minister Margaret Alva, vice-president of SDM education society D Surendra Kumar, senior journalist Amembal Anand, director of Medical Science Institutes of London Dr A A Shetty, famous Nagaswara artist Annu Devadiga, entrepreneur Anand C Kunder, popular Yakshagana comedian Kateel Sitaram Kumar and managing trustee of Sevanjali Pratistana, Farangipet are the ones from the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, who are the recipients of this year's Rajyotsava awards.
Bengaluru has a lion's share in this year's awards. The other districts who have found places mainly among the awardees are Kalaburgi, Mysuru and the twin coastal districts. More than 1600 applications were received for this year's awards.