Fans of late actor Puneeth Rajkumar, who died on October 29, are demanding that he be awarded a Padma Shri posthumously. Two Karnataka ministers too urged the state’s chief minister to make a recommendation to the central government in this regard.
According to PTI, Agriculture Minister BC Patil noted that Puneeth should have been awarded the Padma Shri when he was alive for his achievements. However, as he has unfortunately passed on, it has to be given to him posthumously, the actor-turned-minister added. “As a fan, I too join other fans (in their demand). Being part of the government, I urge the chief minister to recommend the same to the Centre,” he said, adding that Puneeth qualifies for the award not only as an actor but “also for his service to the society.”
Minister for Tourism Anand Singh, too, said, “Puneeth Rajkumar [was] a person who had a mentality to serve mankind, he had joined us in several campaigns of public good, like pulse polio campaign, when I was into social service… I extend my support to the demand seeking Padma Shri for him.”
Fondly known as Appu, after his debut film as lead in 2002, Puneeth was the son of legendary Indian actor and singer Rajkumar. He first appeared in films as a child artiste, starting with Premada Kanike (1976). He later went on to star as the lead actor in commercially successful films like Mourya (2004), Aakash (2005), Milana (2007), and Jackie (2010), among others.
Puneeth died at the age of 46 on October 29 at Bengaluru’s Vikram Hospital, where he had been admitted after complaining of chest pains that morning. The actor was unresponsive when he was brought into the emergency department, and subsequently succumbed to cardiac arrest.
After his passing, Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bestow the fourth-highest civilian award on Puneeth. He had tweeted, “The love and affection Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar has gained is bigger than any title or award. I urge the Prime Minister of India to award Padma Shri posthumously to Puneeth Rajkumar. His acting and contribution to society deserves even more accolades.”
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Meanwhile, on Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma Awards for 2020 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Film personalities like Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar, and Ekta Kapoor, were among those conferred with the honour.
After the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Awards are the highest civilian honours of India. Announced annually on the eve of Republic Day, the awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order), and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The awards seek to recognise achievements in all fields or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.