Karnataka CM approves Rs 5 crore for Ambareesh's memorial

The Karnataka government has decided to allot an initial budget of Rs 5 crore for late actor Ambareesh's memorial.

The memorial, the construction work of which is set to begin soon, will come up on a 1.34 acre space in Kanteerava Studio.

The decision was taken on Monday in the meeting of a high-level committee constituted by the government in January this year, to look into all issues pertaining to the memorial. The eight-member committee, which includes the late actor's wife and Mandya MP Sumalatha as one of its members, is headed by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

In the meeting, Yediyurappa directed officials to speed up the process and start the work at the earliest. While the proposal to build the memorial in Kanteerava Studio already existed, it was officially approved on Monday.

Soon after the meeting, Sumalatha tweeted: "Heartfelt thanks to BS Yediyurappa for honouring the memory of Ambareesh and as a recognition of his social, films and political services and contributions by granting 1.34 acres of land at Kanteerava Studio and proposing an initial fund of Rs 5 crore for Ambareesh Smaraka."

The Kannada film star, fondly known as 'Rebel Star' in the Sandalwood industry, passed away in November 2018. He was also active in politics and served as an MP and as a minister of state for information and broadcasting between 2006-08 during the Manmohan Singh government.