The state government on Monday announced the names of Sahakar Ratna Awardees for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Briefing media persons in Bangalore, Minister for Cooperation G T Deve Gowda said that the awardees had been selected in recognition of their contribution to the cooperative field.

He said the previous government had failed to announce the nominees for the years 2005 and 2006. “So the present government has announced the nominees for all three years. The award carried a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation”, he added.

Following is the list of awardees:
For 2005:B S Vishwanath (Bangalore City), K Narasimhanaik (Bangalore Division), K Rajamma (Mysore Division), B G Banakar (Belgaum division) and Halappa Achar (Gulbarga division).

For 2006:
Leeladevi R Prasad, N M J B Aradhya, S Nanjappa, Shantappa Yashwant Mirji, M Y Patil

For 2007:B L Lakkegowda, C Narayanaswamy, Patel Shivaram, Dr M R Desai and Rathan V Kushnoor.

The Minister said that to mark the centenary celebration of the cooperative movement in the state, a four-day programme would be held at Mysore from July 26.

Besides conferring the Sahakar Ratna awards, 100 prominent persons would also be honoured on the occasion. Exhibition, seminars, screening of films of Rajkumar would also held during the programme.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Chairman of Legislative Council B K Chandrashekhar, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and other dignitaries would participate in the programme.