Bangalore : Last year, in view of Sept – Oct floods that devastated upper Karnataka, no Rajyotsava awards were announced. Normally about 75 names will be finalized and awards will be bestowed upon these achievers in one field or the other, such as literature, drama and education etx., on November, every year on Rajyotsava Day when Karnataka State was formed in 1956.
This year a maximum of 150 names were considered and 125 of them have been finalized by a committee headed by CM, members of his cabinet, secretaries of Kannada culture department and others, discussing for 3 hours at a stretch.
Singer B.R Chaya, Dr. S.S.Hali, Ramesh Bhat, Pro. B. R Patil, Artist Narayan, Ashok Basti, Dr. Sridhar Ayangar are among the possible awardees, common wealth games medal winners such as Ashwini Chidanand, Ashwini Ponnappa and other athletes were considered, as also singers, painters and folk stars.