Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that Kannada thespian Dr. Rajkumar’s superhit film ‘Bangarada Manushya’ of the 1970s had turned many youths towards farming, noted Agricultural Scientist Dr. Vasanth Kumar Thimakapura said Dr. Rajkumar was not only a personality, but a great strength of inspiration.

He was speaking after inaugurating Dr. Rajkumar birth anniversary and ‘Dr. Raj Sadhana Awards’ presentation programme organised by city’s Inchara Samskrutika Pratishtana marking its 12th anniversary, at Namana Kala Mantapa in Krishnamurthypuram here on Sunday.

Pointing out that Dr. Rajkumar was symbolic  of our State’s richness in culture and arts, he said that the thespian’s films were not just entertainment, but were representative of our morality and culture.

Asserting that Dr. Raj played a very vital role during the Gokak Movement of the 1980s, he said that the survival of Kannada language as the foremost language of the State can be largely attributed to this massive movement.

Writer Satish Chandra delivered a talk on Dr. Rajkumar.

Eight achievers from different fields were conferred ‘Dr. Raj Sadhana Award’ — Swamy Mahamane (Theatre and Organisation), R.B. Nagaraj (Singer), S. Venkatesh (Film Production), Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra Photographer M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav (Press Photography), Jayaram (Agriculture/Farming), R. Lakshman (Social Service) and Ananth (Yoga).

Also, meritorious student M.P. Nidhishri was presented ‘Dr. Raj Pratibha Puraskar’ on the occasion.

Melukote Vangipura Mutt Seer Sri Ilai Alwar Swamiji graced the occasion.

Karnataka Sugama Sangeetha Parishat, Mysuru District President Dr. Nagaraj V. Bairy, social worker Dr. K. Raghuram Vajpayee, District Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Maddikere Gopal, Theatre personality Rajashekar Kadamba, Lecturer Niveditha, Pratishtana President Ranganath Mysore and others were present.