Ganesh Puttur, Aikala Harish Shetty and Kunjalu Ramakrishna Nayaka among 50 Rajyotsava Awardees

Ganesh Puttur, Aikala Harish Shetty and Kunjalu Ramakrishna Nayaka among 50 Rajyotsava Awardees

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 31, 2011: The state government has cut the number of Rajyotsava awardees this year to a modest 50—as compared to last year when as many as 162 prominent personalities were honoured with the award though the list included winners for both 2009 and 2010.

The awardees this time include Magsaysay awardee and social entrepreneur Dr Harish Hande and Arjuna awardees Tejaswini Bai (kabaddi) and Ramesh Tikaram.

“We will honour 50 talented and distinguished personalities on the occasion of the 56th Rajyotsava celebration,” said Kannada and culture minister Govind Karjol, while speaking at a press conference held at Bangalore on Sunday.

The award ceremony will be held on November 1 at 6 pm at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bangalore.

The following is the list of Rajyotsava Award winners for the year 2011 that was announced on Sunday.

Literature: Arvind Malagathi, Bijapur; Veeranna Dande, Gulbarga; and Mandeera Jaya Appanna, Kodagu.

Theatre: K. Nagaraja, Chitradurga; and Renuka Durgappa Harijana Malapoora, Bagalkot.

Kannada language: Shantinatha Dibbada, Belgaum district.

Dance: K.S. Ambale Rajeswari, Hassan.

Music: H. Phalguna, (light music), Chamarajanagar; Balachandra Nakod (Hindustani music), Dharwad; Ganesha Puttur (saxophone), Dakshina Kannada; Shankara Binnala (Classical music), Koppal; and K.S. Vaishali (Classical/ light music), Shimoga.

Folk art: Rame Gowda (academician), Mandya; Mahalingaiah B. Ganachari (singing), Bagalkot; Viroopakshappa Sudugadusidda (folklore), Bellary; Parvatevva Hongal, Dharwad; and Maheshwarappa Honnali, Davangere.

Yakshagana: Vithoba Hammanna Naika, Uttara Kannada; and Kunjalu Ramakrishna Nayak, Udupi.

Art/painting/ photography: T. Anil Kumar (graphics/art), Bangalore; and Nagaraja Veerabhadrappa Shilpi (sculpture), Gadag.

Cultural association: Mohana Nagammanavara, Haveri.

Cinema/ television: K. Shivarudraiah, A.R. Raju and Sarigama Viji, all from Bangalore.

Education: P.M. Chikkaboraiah, Mysore; K. Shanthaiah, Raichur; and Ajraa, Chikmagalur.

Agriculture: Basavaraja Tambake, Bidar.

Science/ technology: Harish Hande, Bangalore.

Media: K.N. Tilak Kumar (Deccan Herald/ Prajavani), G.S. Kumar and Pratap Simha, all from Bangalore; Manjunatha Bhat, Uttara Kannada; and Jagadish Maniyani, Kasargod.

Sports: Tejaswini Bai (kabadi) and Ramesh Tikaram (atheletics), both from Bangalore.

Medicine: B. Ramesh, Tumkur and Basavanniah, Davanagere.

Non-resident Kannadigas: M.N. Nanda Kumar, London; Purushottama Bilimale, New Delhi; Aikala Harish Shetty, Mumbai; and Neramballi Raghavendra Rao, Hyderabad.

Social service: Amjad Khan, Hassan; and M.B. Naragund, Belgaum.

Personalities: Siddaiah (education, philosophy and social service), Chitradurga; R.M.V. Prasad (medicine, social service and cultural association), Bangalore; and Shivananda Cha. Myageri (music, education and association), Haveri.

Associations: Mahatma Gandhi Khadi Gramodyoga Sangha, Hudali, Belgaum; and Shanthivana Trust, Dharmasthala, Dakshina Kannada.