Bengaluru/Mysuru: With Kannada Rajyotsava being celebrated tomorrow, the State Government on Sunday announced the list of  67 Rajyotsava awardees, that includes renowned humorist and Kannada writer Prof. M. Krishnegowda and former MLC D. Madegowda of Mysuru, former ISRO Chairman K.Sivan, writer and researcher Aa.Ra. Mitra, para-swimmer Raghavendra Anvekar, former Bureaucrat Madan Gopal, Ganesh Thimmaiah of Kodagu, actors Dattatreya (Dattanna), Avinash and Sihi Kahi Chandru and Soligara Madamma of Chamarajanagar under Special Category.

In the Organisation category, Mysuru’s Ramakrishna Ashram is among the ten organisations in the State which has bagged the award.

Speaking after releasing the list, Kannada and Culture Minister V. Sunil Kumar maintained that this year’s list is well balanced, with focus on hidden talents.

He further said that the State Government followed the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the selection of awardees. The money  associated with the award has been enhanced to Rs.5 lakh, along with a 25-gram Gold Medal and a plaque. Earlier, the award carried a purse of Rs.1 lakh. 

Prof. M. Krishnegowda

Prof. M. Krishnegowda who has won the Rajyotsava award in the Literature category, is a well-known humorist,  Kannada writer and columnist.

Prof. Krishnegowda, a native of Kanaganamaradi in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, is a Gold Medalist in Kannada from University of Mysore and  began his career as a Kannada Lecturer. He  retired as the Principal of St. Philomena’s College after serving the Institution  for 34 years.

This apart, he has made his mark in cinema, small screen, theatre and other related  fields. A noted orator, columnist and humorist, Prof. Krishnegowda began his humour show with ‘Harate,’ a popular humour talk show of Udaya TV and since then became a vital part of innumerable humour shows, through which he became a household name.

His popular work ‘Jalada Kannu,’ a collection of his articles published in newspapers, has been published as three editions.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Prof. Krishnegowda, a resident of Hebbal in city, said that he is delighted for having got the award. Pointing out that Kannada has given him everything in life, he said that it is Kannada which has been his leading light.

“ I always believed in Kannada. Kannada has been my friend of life and my entire personality is full of Kannada,” he said adding that he will continue to work for taking Kannada to greater heights.

D. Madegowda, a former MLC of Mysuru, has bagged the award in Social Service category.

D. Madegowda

A resident of Kumbarakoppal in city, he is also a former Chairman of the then CITB (now MUDA) in the late eighties. He became popular as ‘Mane Madegowda’ for distribution of houses/sites to the shelterless when he headed CITB. He is also credited with the establishment of a Zero-Waste Management Plant at Kumbarakoppal. He is also actively engaged in ‘Sasyadhaare,’ a mass sapling planting campaign in Mysuru. He had also bagged Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar award recently.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Madegowda said he was joyous about getting the Rajyotsava award under Social Service category. Maintaining that he has been in service activities for decades, he said that it is happy to note that the Government had identified his work and selected him for the award.

“The entire country recognised me for the ‘Ashamandira’ housing scheme for the poor which I started. Perhaps Mysuru was the only city in the country which made the 1987 UN’s International Housing year, successful. I visited almost every household as part of cleanliness campaign when the ‘Nirmala Mane’ scheme was introduced in 2007,” he said adding that he has lot more to do. He further said that the award has motivated him further in his endeavour of serving the society.

The other awardees include retired IAS officer Madan Gopal, who had served the Government in top positions for years, veteran actor Dattatreya (Dattanna)  from Chitradurga and now settled in Bengaluru, senior actor Avinash, who has made his own mark in films by performing in different roles, noted small screen actor Chandru, who became popular as ‘Sihi Kahi Chandru’  after playing the lead role in the famous Doordarshan serial ‘Sihi Kahi’, veteran writer and scholar Aa. Ra. Mitra, a native of Hassan, former ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, who was instrumental in taking the Space Research Organisation to greater levels and Soligara Madamma, a tribal co-operative movement activist of Chamarajanagar.

Our services recognised: Swamiji

Sri Ramakrishna Ashram on KRS Road has bagged the Rajyotsava award under ‘Organisation Category’.

Sri Ramakrishna Ashram was established in city in 1925 and since then it has engaged in various social service activities. The Ashram has been providing education to rural  poor students through its novel initiative ‘Viveka Shikshana.’ It has also provided computers to schools in rural areas under its ‘Seva Mandira’ initiative, which is also aimed at achieving computer literacy among rural students. This apart, the Ashram has been imparting moral and spiritual education to thousands of people from all sections of the society for decades. The Ashram has brought more than 440 valuable publications for the benefit of the society.

Speaking to Star of Mysore after the announcement of Rajyotsava award to Ramakrishna Ashram, Ashram President Swami Muktidanandaji said that he was thankful to the State Government for the award. Stating that the award has come as a pleasant surprise to the Ashram, he credited the award to the service rendered by hundreds of Sadhus, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, who stayed in the Ashram for 14 years and all other personalities who were associated with the Ashram.

Pointing out that the Ashram is working for bringing about a change in the society through moral, spiritual and valued education, Muktidanandaji maintained that over 6,800 children have received educational benefits over the past 24 years. Stating that the Ashram has brought out many useful publications such as ‘Viveka Prabha’ and other Kannada books, he said that the Ashram has been engaged in facilitating quality education to thousands of poor and rural children. He further said that the ‘Seva Mandira’ initiative of the Ashram will be launched in remote villages too and added that he is grateful and thankful to the Government for having recognised the unique and novel services of the Ashram, which has benefited thousands of children and members of the public since decades.