This story is from December 3, 2016

SM Krishna urges Centre to bestow Bharat Ratna on Rajkumar

Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna on Friday called on the Centre to confer the country’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously on the iconic Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar. At a three-day symposium on the late thespian, which is being conducted at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Krishna hailed Rajkumar as an “epitome of virtue”.
SM Krishna urges Centre to bestow Bharat Ratna on Rajkumar
<p>SM Krishna.<br></p>
BENGALURU: Former Karnataka chief minister SM Krishna on Friday called on the Centre to confer the country’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously on the iconic Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar. At a three-day symposium on the late thespian, which is being conducted at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Krishna hailed Rajkumar as an “epitome of virtue”.
“In 1983, when I was an MP, I prevailed on the then central government to confer the Padma Bhushan on Rajkumar.
But, he deserved the Bharat Ratna. I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee to bestow the highest civilian award on the late actor,” Krishna said. The inaugural day of the symposium was attended by many writers, renowned film artists, besides scores of the late actor’s admirers.
Krishna was the CM in 2000, when Rajkumar was abducted by forest brigand Veerappan. Recalling the tumultuous period, Krishna said, “I was told that Rajkumar silently accompanied Veerappan, when the latter asked to him to come along. I went to receive him, when he was released after 108 days. I remember that he was very calm; there was no sign of anger or pain on his face.”
Poet Nissar Ahmed, and writer Doddahulluru Thokkoji, who has authored two books on Rajkumar, too paid a glowing tribute to the versatile actor. Four fans of Rajkumar – Chi Dattaraju, K Mohan Rao, BC Shivakumar and Narasimhamurthy – were felicitated on the occasion.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA