Karnataka: Native village of Puneeth Rajkumar to get museum dedicated to actor, thespian father

MLA M R Manjunath was speaking at the 'Janapada Utsava' (folklore festival) and 'Janapada Siri' (folklore asset) award ceremony, organised by Janapada Sahitya Parishat and taluk unit of Kannada Sahitya Vedike at the Government First Grade College in Hanur town, recently.

Mysuru: The village on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, native of thespian Dr Rajkumar, may transform into a tourist destination of the Mysuru region, if the plan of the Hanur MLA is realised. Singanallur in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district is the native place of Dr Rajkumar.

MLA M R Manjunath said that a proposal will be submitted to the Karnataka government, to establish a museum in the name of Singanallur Puttaswamaiah, his son Dr Rajkumar, and grandson Puneeth Rajkumar in Singanallur village.

He was speaking at the 'Janapada Utsava' (folklore festival) and 'Janapada Siri' (folklore asset) award ceremony, organised by Janapada Sahitya Parishat and taluk unit of Kannada Sahitya Vedike at the Government First Grade College in Hanur town, recently.

“The attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be drawn to this matter,” he said.

Dathesh Kumar, Secretary of Kollegal-based Manasa Education Institution, said, “Chamarajanagar district is economically and educationally backward, but it is culturally rich.”

Basavaraju, leader of Raitha Sangha in Hanur and a fan of Dr Rajkumar, said that Chamarajanagar already attracts a lot of people, both devotees and tourists, as there are temples like Male Mahadeshwara Swamy and Jatre Utsava like Chilluru are held, besides the presence of forests.

“If the museum is established as a tribute to the achievers in the family of Dr Rajkumar, covering three generations in Singanallur, it will be a cultural and popular destination. Chamarajanagar is already a cradle of folk-art forms. This proposed museum will be another feather in the cap of the district,” he said.