Puneeth Rajkumar to be conferred Karnataka Ratna award

BENGALURU: Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, who passed away following cardiac arrest a fortnight ago, will be conferred ‘Karnataka Ratna’, the highest civilian honour in the state.
The award has been given to nine achievers ever since it was instituted three decades ago. Puneeth is the second personality from the Kannada film industry — after his father and superstar Dr Rajkumar — to be given the award.
CM Basavaraj Bommai made the announcement during ‘Puneeth Namana’, a tribute to the actor organized by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Inspired by Puneeth, I got into films: Brother
Former Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah described Puneeth as a ‘rare’ personality who embodied virtues and won hearts. He urged Bommai to recommend to the Centre to confer Padma Shri on Puneeth. Telugu actor Manchu Manoj appealed to film actors from every state to give representations to the Centre to award Padma Shri to Puneeth.
Congress leader DK Shivakumar appealed to the CM to start a film training academy or a studio in Puneeth’s name. “Puneeth was an actor who had won so many hearts. It is apt we pay tributes to him by starting something in the name of the great actor.”
Puneeth’s brother Raghavendra Rajkumar extolled the good deeds of Appu, as the actor was called by family and friends. “He came to this world as my brother… He’s always in our heart,” he said.
Actor and Puneeth’s elder brother Shivarajkumar, who was in tears throughout the programme, said: “Every time I was asked why do I praise my brother (Puneeth) so much, I would tell them that he deserved every bit of it. I got inspired by him and entered movies. He had achieved a lot in childhood. Now, he has done so much social service.”
Shivarajkumar sang a few lines from Hindi song ‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ that the brothers loved humming when they spent time together.