Bengaluru: Late Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, fondly called as ‘Appu’, who passed away on Oct. 29, 2021, will be conferred the prestigious ‘Karnataka Ratna’ award posthumously on Nov. 1, marking Kannada Rajyotsava.

Announcing this after chairing a meeting attended by Dr. Rajkumar’s family members here on Thursday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the award will be bestowed on the late actor at a public event to take place on the steps of Vidhana Soudha at 4 pm on Nov. 1.

Pointing out that Puneeth Rajkumar will be the 9th recipient of the State’s highest civilian honour, Bommai said that Puneeth achieved great things in his life and he will remain in the hearts of people forever. He is ‘Karnataka Ratna’ in the true sense, he said adding that the award is in recognition of his enormous contribution to Kannada cinema and social service.

The earlier recipients of the award are: Puneeth’s father and legendary thespian Dr. Rajkumar, poet laureate Kuvempu, celebrated scientist Dr. C.N.R. Rao, former Chief Minister late S. Nijalingappa, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. Veerendra Heggade (who is now a Rajya Sabha MP), Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Tumakuru Siddaganga Mutt Seer late Dr. Shivakumara Swamiji and former Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University Prof. D. Javaregowda (Dejagow).