Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government has decided to honour late actor Puneeth Rajkumar the ‘Karnataka Ratna Award’. Bommai made this announcement at a special event called ‘Puneeth Namana’ at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Tuesday, November 16. Several film celebs and politicians have attended the event. He will be the tenth recipient of the award.
Puneeth Rajkumar, one of the most talented stars in the film industry died due to massive heart attack on October 29. Puneeth was the youngest son of legendary Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar. The sudden death of Puneeth left many people in shock.
He is survived by his wife Ashwini and their two daughters. Puneeth stepped into film industry as a child artist.
In April 2002, Puneeth made his film debut as a leading actor in the movie, Appu. He delivered many hits like Appu (2002), Abhi (2003), Veera Kannadiga (2004), Mourya (2004), Aakash (2005), Ajay (2006), Arasu (2007), Milana (2007), Vamshi (2008), Raam (2009), Jackie (2010), Hudugaru (2011), Raajakumara (2017), and Anjani Putra (2017). He also won National Award for Best Child Artist for Bettada Hoovu in 1985.
He was not only an actor but also a playback singer, television presenter, and producer who worked primarily in Kannada cinema. He was one of the most popular celebrities and the highest-paid actors in the Kannada cinema. In 2012, he debuted as a television presenter on the game show Kannadada Kotyadhipati, a Kannada version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?