Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said the prestigious Karnataka Ratna award will be presented posthumously to actor Puneeth Rajkumar on November 1. Last November, days after Rajkumar passed away, the Karnataka government had named the actor for the award for his contribution towards the art of cinema in the state.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, Bommai said, “As already decided, our all time favorite actor Puneeth Rajkumar will be conferred with the Karnataka Ratna award on November 1 on the eve of Karnataka Rajyotsava at 4pm in front of Vidhana Soudha. He needs to be remembered forever and the government is also inviting many popular people to the grand event.”
The November announcement had been made at an event, titled ‘’Puneetha Namana’, to pay homage to the late actor. It was organised by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), in association with Sandalwood film actors’ and technicians’ associations.
According to news agency PTI, the Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to Dr Virendra Heggade for social service in 2009. Puneeth’s late father Rajkumar is among the first recipients of Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with poet Kuvempu.
