Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar said a special selection committee visited every district to identify the people, who have done good work but have gone unrecognised, for the Rajyotsava Award.
Speaking at the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award presentation ceremony on Tuesday, he said, “The practice, so far, was to select the awardees based on the applications received. But the government constituted a special selection committee this time. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had specifically asked us to recognise such achievers.”
He said the awardees were drawn from diverse backgrounds and fields of achievers.
Kumar added that from ISRO scientist K Sivan to Pourakarmika worker Mallana from remote Hoovinahadagali, the committee has ensured it chose deserving people.
Though the department received over 9,000 applications, most of the achievers were selected based on the committee’s observations, he said.
This year, the prize money, has also been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. “Such deserving achievers have increased the prestige of the award. We hope the award will inspire many others in the state to achieve something and also inspire the awardees to reinvent themselves and work for a better tomorrow,” said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The felicitation event at the Ravindra Kalakshetra saw a jam-packed audience amid the pouring rains that troubled the commuters.
Family and friends of the awardees were excited to witness the event.
Durga Bhavani, wife of the Rajyotsava award winner-retired IAS officer Madan Gopal, said, “I am very proud of his achievements. The award definitely boosts his morale and is a recognition of his service to society over the last 36 years”.
Apart from 67 achievers and 10 organisations working towards social causes felicitated with the Rajyotsava Award.