For the first time, no public applications were invited; selection made through district-level recommendations and expert committee review — 12 women and two achievers from the Samagara Haralayya community honoured.
Bengaluru: The Government of Karnataka has announced the 2025 Rajyotsava Awards, recognizing 70 outstanding individuals for their exceptional contributions across various fields, including cinema, literature, education, social service, and the arts.
Prominent among the awardees is actor Prakash Raj, representing the field of cinema from Dakshina Kannada.
This year’s selection is historic — for the first time, the state government did not invite applications for the awards. Instead, the list was finalized based on district-wise recommendations, social representation, and suggestions by the selection advisory committee.
Minister’s Statement:
Minister Shivraj Tangadagi, who chaired the selection committee, said that the process was conducted transparently and after several rounds of meetings.
“We have almost entirely accepted the recommendations of the advisory committee members. I thank all of them for their cooperation in identifying deserving achievers,” he said.
Tangadagi further noted that this year marks a first in recognizing two achievers from the Samagara Haralayya community.
Additionally, 12 women have been honoured for their accomplishments. No organizations were included in the 2025 award list, focusing exclusively on individual excellence.
Notable Awardees:
- Cinema & Television: Prakash Raj (Dakshina Kannada), M.Vijayalakshmi Singh (Kodagu)
- Administration & Medicine: H. Siddayya (IAS, Retd, Bengaluru South), Dr. Alamma Maranna (Tumakuru), Dr. Jayaranganath (Bengaluru Rural)
- Literature: Prof. Rajendra Chenni (Shivamogga), Rahamat Tarikere (Chikkamagaluru), Prof. A.R. Sunandamma (Chikkaballapur)
- Folk Arts: Basappa Bharamappa Choudki (Koppal), Sindhu Gujaran (Dakshina Kannada), L. Mahadevappa (Mysuru)
- Social Service: Sulagitti Eeramma (Vijayanagara), Dr. N. Sitarama Shetty (Udupi), Korin Antoniette Raskina (Dakshina Kannada)
- Music & Dance: Devendra Kumar Pattar (Koppal), Prof. K. Ramamurthy Rao (Mysuru)
- Agriculture: Dr. S.V. Hittalmani (Haveri), M.C. Rangaswamy (Hassan)
- Journalism: K. Subramanya (Bengaluru), A.M. Prasannakumar (Mysuru), B.M. Haneef (Dakshina Kannada)
- Education: Dr. M.R. Jayaram (Bengaluru), Dr. N.S. Ramegowda (Mysuru)
- Sports: Ashish Kumar Ballal (Bengaluru), Dr. Babina N.M. (Yoga, Kodagu)
- Theatre & Yakshagana: K.P. Hegde (Uttara Kannada), Mime Ramesh (Dakshina Kannada), Gunduraj (Hassan)
The list also includes achievers from the judiciary, cooperative sector, science and technology, painting, handicrafts, and environmental conservation.
Historical Angle:
This year’s Rajyotsava Awards stand out not just for their diversity but also for the inclusive recognition given to grassroots achievers, folk artists, and social reformers. By eliminating the traditional application process, the government aimed to ensure merit-based, regionally balanced selection.
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