JOIN US59 to get Rajyotsava award
Noted space scientist K Kasturirangan, former chief justice of India M N Venkatachaliah, writer Shudra Srinivas, singer S Janaki and athlete M V Poovamma are among the 59 personalities selected by the State government for the 2014 Kannada Rajyotsava awards.
The State government, which released the list of names for the award on Thursday, has pegged the number of awards at 59 to coincide with the 59th 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 one lakh in cash, a 20-gram gold medal and a citation.
A selection committee headed by the chief minister was formed to select names for the award. The panel shortlisted 120 of the total 1,924 applications received from across the State for the annual awards this year. Priority has been given to regional representation, social justice, age and contribution of a person to the field concerned while selecting names.
Unlike in the past, there was no controversy over the selection of names or the number of awards. The government stuck to its decision to peg the awards at 59. Home Minister K J George, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, RDPR Minister H K Patil, Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Major and Medium Irrigation Minister M B Patil and Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree were part of the panel.