Puneeth Rajkumar to be conferred Karnataka Ratna posthumously

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday announced that Sandalwood star Puneeth Rajkumar, who died at 46 on October 29 due to a cardiac arrest leaving legions of his fans shattered across the State, will be conferred with the 'Karnataka Ratna' award posthumously.

He will be the 10th recipient of the state's highest civilian honour.

Considered the Kannada cinema's reigning star, Puneeth was the youngest of five children of thespian and matinee idol Dr Rajkumar.

"After discussion with several people, I have decided to confer Karnataka Ratna award posthumously to Puneeth Rajkumar. I'm making this announcement today," Bommai said.

The Chief Minister made this announcement while speaking at the "Puneetha Namana," an event to pay homage to the late actor, organised by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), in association with Sandalwood film actors' and technicians' associations.

"There are a lot of other suggestions, regarding honouring him with national level awards, our government is open minded on this, and in the upcoming cabinet those decisions will be taken," he added.

Ever since his death there has been chorus demanding 'Padma Shri' to Puneeth.

The Karnataka Ratna announcement by the Chief Minister was welcomed with standing ovation at the event that was attended by former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Siddaramaiah, Bommai's cabinet colleagues, State Congress chief D K Shivakumar, host of political leaders, film personalities of Kannada and South Indian film industry, among others.

Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to Dr Virendra Heggade for social service in 2009.

Interestingly, Puneeth's late father Rajkumar is among the first recipients of Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with poet Kuvempu.

Other recipients of the award are S Nijalingappa (Politics), CNR Rao (Science), Dr Devi Prasad Shetty (Medical), Bhimsen Joshi (Music), Shivakumara Swamiji (Social Service), and Dr J Javaregowda (Education & Literature).

Stating that a lot of suggestions have come to immortalise Puneeth Rajkumar, Bommai said, "I want to say the government's wish is also the same. His final resting place will be developed like that of his parents - Dr Rajkumar and Parvathamma Rajkumar."

Puneeth was laid to rest with full state honours at Dr Rajkumar Punyabhoomi in Kanteerava Studio, next to his father and mother on October 31.

Stating that he has seen Puneeth Rajkumar from his childhood, the Chief Minister said, "He was the fountain of telnet from a very young age and went on to win the national award as a child actor."

Along with success in acting career, Puneeth was humble in his character and mannerism, he said, "he matched his father Dr Rajkumar in the humbleness with which he carried himself."

Welcoming government's decision to award Karnataka Ratna to Puneeth, Siddaramaiah urged the Chief Minister and his cabinet to recommend to Centre to give him 'Padma Shri' award posthumously, and see to that he gets it.

Shivakumar called for setting up of an institute for training young actors in the memory of Puneeth.

Puneeth, popularly known as 'Appu' and 'Power Star', by his fans, made debut on screen when he was just six-months-old and went on to win a national award as a child artiste for the film 'Bettada Hoovu'. He then re-emerge as a lead actor in 2002 and went on to star in 29 films, delivering some big hits.