Wilson, Lakshmi among Rajyotsava awardees

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Oct 31, 2016, DHNS: Magsaysay award winner Bezwada Wilson, former Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj Patil and actor Lakshmi are among the 61 personalities selected by the state government for the 2016 Kannada Rajyotsava awards.

Wilson shared this year’s Magsaysay award for his campaign against manual scavenging. Wilson, born in Kolar,  is one of the founders and national convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan, a human rights organisation that has been campaigning for the eradication of manual scavenging.

Lakshmi has acted in several South Indian and Bollywood movies. She rose to fame with her first Malayalam movie Chattakari (1974). The movie’s remake in Hindi — Julie (1975) — also went on to become a superhit.

Freedom fighter Mahadev Shivabasappa Patana of Belagavi, film artiste of yesteryear Revathi Kalyan Kumar, sculptor Kashinath Shilpi and litterateur K T Gatti are among those who have been selected for the award.

The state government, which released the list of names on Sunday, has pegged the number of winners at 61 to coincide with the 61st Kannada Rajyotsava this year. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will give away the awards at a function,  scheduled to be organised at Ravindra Kalakshetra here on November 1 at 6 pm. The award carries Rs 1 lakh in cash, a 20-gram gold medal and a citation.

Bidar-based NGO, Team YUVA (Youth United for Vigilance Awareness and Action) has been selected under the “associations and organisations” category for taking up initiatives to create awareness on the management of garbage and its disposal.

Last week, the Karnataka High Court had directed the state to consider the draft guidelines submitted by an  expert committee in relation to the selection of the awardees. The guidelines will be followed from next year.