Cabinet decides to give Karnataka Ratna Award to actors Vishnuvardhan, Saroja Devi posthumously
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to bestow the Karnataka Ratna award on Kannada film actors Vishnuvardhan and B Saroja Devi posthumously.
A resolution was also passed to send a letter to the Centre that Rashtra Kavi (poet) Kuvempu should be given Bharat Ratna, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.
"The cabinet today decided that Karnataka Ratna be conferred on Vishnuvardhan and Saroja Devi," Patil told reporters here.
Born as Sampath Kumar on 18 September 1950, the actor (Vishnuvardhan) had acted in over 220 films.
The actor, who had earned the title of ‘Saahasa Simha’, had also acted in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. He passed away on December 30, 2009.
Saroja Devi was also a multi-lingual actress who made a mark in all the southern films and left an indelible imprint on the Hindi film industry with her movie ‘Sasural’ with Rajendra Kumar.
She is remembered for her lead role in the Kannada period film ‘Kittur Rani Chennamma’.
Born on January 7, 1938 and died on July 14, 2025, she had acted in over 200 movies.
Vishnuvardhan and Saroja Devi will be the 10th and 11th recipient of this prestigious honour.
Actor and former minister Jayamala, and actors Shruthi and Malavika Avinash had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, requesting him to confer the Karnataka Ratna award on actors Vishnuvardhan and Saroja Devi.
Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to late actor Puneeth Rajkumar posthumously in 2022.
Kanadda thespian Rajkumar was among the first recipients of Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with noted poet Kuvempu.
Other recipients of the award are S Nijalingappa (Politics), CNR Rao (Science), Bhimsen Joshi (Music), Shivakumara Swamiji (Social Service), Virendra Heggade (Social Service), and Dr J Javaregowda (Education & Literature).
Minister Patil said the cabinet also decided to hold a special cabinet meeting on September 16 on Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project, which involves acquisition of 75,000 acres of land.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the compensation amount for land acquired under the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project will be finalised at the cabinet meeting to be held on September 11.
However, Patil clarified that there are many technical and legal matters to be resolved, which will require discussions.
"Against this backdrop, today the state cabinet on various points discussed, but we could not complete the discussions. Hence, a special cabinet meeting will be held on September 16," Patil said.
He added that a meeting chaired by CM Siddaramaiah took place in the presence of Shivakumar with the farmers and other stakeholders.
"To complete the project, 75,000 acres will be submerged. If this project has to be completed, we have to take farmers into confidence," he underlined.
Patil said there were no discussions on holding the local body election using ballot papers.
"We took note of the media reports, which said that the matter would be taken up for discussion to bring an amendment to the law, but the matter was not before the cabinet today. The state government would discuss and consider it (later)," the minister added.
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Mhatre's fifty carries CSK to 209/5 against PBKS
Chennai (PTI): Ayush Mhatre showcased his abundant talent with a 43-ball 73, powering Chennai Super Kings to a competitive 209 for five against Punjab Kings in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday.
Mhatre and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (28) added 96 runs for the second wicket, the crux of the CSK innings, after Sanju Samson returned to the hut early.
Samson inexplicably moved down to the leg-side and tried to cart Xavier Bartlett’s out-swinger over covers, but all he could manage was a healthy edge to Prabhsimran Singh behind the wicket.
But his dismissal proved a minor jitter, as Mhatre tore apart Punjab's bowling with power and precision.
Pacer Bartlett was the aggrieved party early as Mhatre smashed him for three fours in a row — a loft through mid-wicket, a flick and a pull. His audacity helped CSK reach 57 for one in the Power Play.
Mhatre seemed to have put behind, at least for now, his issues against short-pitched balls, as the Mumbai young man later pulled Marco Jansen for a six.
Mhatre later punished Marcus Stoinis for two sixes in a row — both down the ground — and the first maximum also fetched his fifty in 29 balls.
But he shrugged a bit against the guiles of Yuzvendra Chahal, failing to read him well.
The veteran leg-spinner foxed Mhatre, 17 years younger to him, with a series of googlies, but fortune was not in favour of the former.
On 59, Mhatre was dropped by Vijayakumar Vyshak inside the circle and later on 67 by Shahshank Singh in the deep.
But luck eventually ran out as Mhatre’s attempt to steer Vyshak ended in the hands of Chahal at short third man, as both of them got their own piece of revenge.
In between, Gaikwad too was ousted by Chahal as CSK’s march dulled a bit between 10th and 15th overs. In those five overs, the home side managed just 45 runs.
Sarfaraz Khan (32, 12 balls) tried to instil some urgency into CSK innings while playing his trademark dabs and close-to-body shots for a flurry of boundaries.
Sarfaraz clobbered Arshdeep Singh and Vyshak for a hat-trick of fours each with those impish shots before skying Vyshak to Nehal Wadhera.
But that knock coupled with a few strong hits by Shivam Dube (45, 27b) helped CSK eke out 64 runs in the last five overs and this total could see some interesting chase as still there has been no trace of dew in Chepauk.
