Karnataka Janapada Academy announces 2024 akademi awards; 30 artists, two experts to be honoured
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Janapada Academy has announced the 2024 Janapada Akademi Awards, honoring 30 folk artists, one from each district, with the annual honorary award and two experts with the Janapada Expert Award. Gollahalli Shivaprasad, president of the Janapada Academy, made the announcement during a press conference held at the inner hall of Kannada Bhavan on Saturday.
The awardees include prominent folk artists such as Dr. Jogila Siddharaju (Tattvapada and Gigipada), Siddaya C.H. (Dollukunita), M. Mahesh (Kolata), Sunandamma (Arevadya-Tamate), Venkataramanappa (Kinnari Jogi), and Siddappa (Davanagere Bhajan). Other recipients include Martandappa (Hagaluvesha), A. Srinivas (Hase Chittar), Gouramma (Leather instrument), Manjunath (Folk artist), Hurugalawadi Ramaiah (Kolata), B.T. Manava (Bhajan), B.P. Parameshwarappa (Tamburi Pada), Siddharaju R. (Dakshina Kannada Paddan), Jayanthi (Folk singer), N. Ganesh Gangolli (Tribal Kolata), and S.R. Saroja.
Additionally, Chaudaki Pada artist Kamala Maragannavara, folk singer Prabhu Basappa Kundaragi, Vijayapura Dollu dance artist Somanna Dundappa Dhangonda, Karadi Majalu artist Gangappa M. Karadi, Halakki Suggi dance artist Ganapu Badava Gowda, traditional pada artist Girijavva Hanumappa Banakara, daytime costume artist Dr. Govindappa Ramachandrappa, and Tattvapada artist Boramma have also been honored with the annual award.
Folk singer Maruthi Koli, Tattvapada artist Yallamma, bhajana artist H. Chandrashekar Hadapada, Hagaluvesha artist K. Shankarappa, and Tattvapada artist Gopanna are among the other recipients of the annual folk honor award.
In the expert category, Dr. Mailahalli Revanna of Mysore has been awarded the Dr. G. Shampa Award, while Dr. Venkatesh Indwadi of Vijayanagar has received the Dr. B.S. Gaddi Math Award.
The artists receiving the annual folk honor award will be awarded Rs. 25,000 each, while the folk experts will receive Rs. 50,000. Along with the cash prize, the awardees will be honored with a souvenir, shawl, garland.
The award presentation ceremony for the 2023 and 2024 awardees will be held on March 15 at the Bidar Theatre.
Kannada and Culture Department Minister Shivaraj Thangadigi, Forest Minister Eshwara Khandre, and other dignitaries are expected to attend the event.
Karnataka Janapada Akademi Registrar S. Namrata, along with members Dr. Umesh, Shankranna Ramappa Sankannavara, Rangappa, Kenkere Mallakarjuna, C.N. Manjesh Chennapura, and Dr. Hulikunte Murthy, were present at the press conference.
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Karnataka MLA Vinay Kulkarni disqualified after conviction in Goudar murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Saturday issued an official notification regarding the disqualification of Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni following his conviction in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar.
The former minister is currently in prison, serving life imprisonment in the case.
“Consequent upon the conviction of Vinay Kulkarni, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Dharwad constituency, by the LXXXI Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge, Bengaluru City (CCH-82), in Spl CC No. 565/2021, he stands disqualified from the membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the date of conviction, i.e, April 15, 2026,” the notification read.
“He stands disqualified in terms of the provisions of Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India, read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and such disqualification shall continue for a further period of six years after his release, unless the conviction is stayed by a competent court,” it added.
Hence, one seat in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has fallen vacant, the notification said.
Bypolls were held on April 9 to fill two other seats in the 224-member Assembly that fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The results will be declared on May 4.
On April 15, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder. Subsequently, on April 17, the court sentenced Kulkarni and 15 others convicted in the case to life imprisonment.
The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP Zilla Panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at that time. Hired assailants attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym at Saptapur in Dharwad.
Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.
The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Vinay Kulkarni as the “main conspirator.” It alleged that he perceived Yogeshgouda Goudar as a growing political rival in Dharwad and hired contract killers to eliminate him.
Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2021 under certain conditions, including a ban on entering Dharwad district. However, in June 2025, the apex court cancelled his bail following allegations of witness tampering and attempts to influence prosecution witnesses.
Kulkarni again sought bail in January 2026, but the High Court rejected it, citing judicial propriety.
However, the Supreme Court granted him bail on February 27 after noting that all witnesses had been examined.
