Anant Nag, violin icon Subramaniam among Padma awardees from Karnataka

Nine achievers from Karnataka, including veteran film actor Anant Nag and violin maestro Lakshminarayana Subramaniam, were among the 140 Padma awardees announced on the eve of Republic Day.

L Subramaniam has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India, for his exceptional and distinguished service in the field of art. He dedicated his achievements to his father’s thought and direction to take his art to a global stage. “I am missing my father now; he would have been very happy. It’s an honour, it’s a prestige,” he told this paper.

Anant Nag, who began his career in the Kannada film industry, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, along with journalist A Surya Prakash. Nag dedicated his award to the people of Karnataka. Speaking to DH, he said, “My biggest films were in Kannada. In one film, I had Pandit Bhimsen Joshi as my ghost voice. I’m equally proud of that… The way my name was suggested by Kannadigas at large, and my friends in the media, it is so overwhelming. I dedicate it to the people of Karnataka and our Kannada prekshakaru (viewers). I hope this award will give a new impetus to the film industry to achieve more in the years to come.”

Surya Prakash, former chairperson of Prasar Bharati, told DH: “I have spent 54 years of my life in journalism and media. This is a great national honour that comes with a lot of responsibility. One has to live up to these ideals. I sincerely thank the honourable President and, in particular, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for having considered me for this award.”

Six people were awarded the Padma Shri, including three-time Grammy Award winning music composer Ricky Kej, breast cancer research pioneer and former Kidwai hospital director Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshamane, and 96-year-old ‘Grandmother of Gombeyaata’ Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara.

Bhimavva’s award is in recognition of her excellence in Togalu Gombeyaata, a family tradition that she mastered at the age of 14 and gained international prominence for ever since. According to her family, she is between 103 and 104 years old, but records place her at 96. Her son, 75-year-old Kesappa, has also achieved international success in the artform. “The artform has gained the respect,” she said when informed of her award.

Hassan Raghu (art) and Prashanth Prakash (trade and industry), and Venkappa Ambaji Sugatekar, a Gondhali folk singer who sang 1,000 songs and narrated over 150 Gondhali stories, have also been honoured with the Padma Shri.