Bengaluru:  The State government on Tuesday named former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda for Maharshi Valmiki Award for 2018-19.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and a citation.

The Parliamentarian from Hassan district was selected by the Government-appointed Valmiki Award Committee chaired by former High Court Judge H.N. Nagamohan Das, for his contribution to the welfare of SC/ST communities.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was to present the award to his father H.D. Deve Gowda during the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha today. But as the former PM left for London early this morning on a pre-scheduled tour, the Award will be conferred on him after he returns, it is learnt.

Former Prime Minister  Deve Gowda, who is in London, will be paying tribute to Basaveshwara statue there on Oct. 26. The event will be organised by The Basaveshwara Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in UK that has erected the statue of Basaveshwara on the banks of River Thames.

Former Mayor of London Borough of Lambeth Dr. Neeraj Patil and Chairman of the Foundation had extended the special invitation to the former PM which the latter accepted. Members of Indian/ Kannada community will also join the  ex-PM to pay tribute to Basaveshwara.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the Basaveshwara statue in London on   Nov.14, 2015.