After a gap of three years, Karnataka conferred the state’s highest sporting awards – the Ekalavya, Karnataka Kreeda Ratna, Lifetime Achievement, Sports Sponsor, and NSS awards – at a function in the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha on Monday.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa got the honor of choosing the recipients and winners of the state’s highest sports awards on the very next day of Karnataka’s 65th Rajyotsava Day celebrations.
In all, 31 persons, including Indian cricketers K.L. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, were been selected for the Ekalavya Awards. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh each.
Besides them, Indian women’s cricket team member Veda Krishnamurthy too was conferred this award.
Among all the awardees, it was the day of Khushi Dinesh, a swimmer, as while conferring the award to her, after noticing that she was wearing a very thick bangle, Yediyurappa casually asked her whether she was wearing a gold bangle.
To this, Khushi replied sheepishly that it was an artificial gold plated bangle.
Yediyurappa advised her, “You should have worn gold ornaments on such an occasion.”
Then he also asked her which sport she plays, to which she replied that she is a swimmer. Yesddiyurappa then asked if she swam like a mermaid.
M. Frederick (hockey), Mohammed Ilias Patel (volleyball), R Manjunath (kabaddi), C.A. Karumbayya (hockey), Shantha Rangaswamy (cricket), and Sanjiva R. Kanaka (kho kho) were chosen for the Lifetime Achievement awards. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh each.
As many as five institutions were selected for the sports sponsors awards with cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh each, while 27 sports achievers got cash prizes of Rs 1 lakh each.
The Mangalore University (2019-20), V. R. Deshpande Memorial Trust, Haliyal (2018-19), Sri Siddaganga Education Trust, Tumakuru, and Maniprabhu Sports Academy, Bidar for 2020-21 are the winners of the sports sponsors awards.
