CWG Gold Medalist Ashwini Akkunje, Infy CEO Bag Rajyotsava Award
Bangalore, Oct 30 (PTI): Ashwini Akkunje who had bagged gold in the recent Commonwealth Games, CEO of Infosys Technologies S Gopalakrishnan, noted conservation zoologist and tiger expert Ullas Karanth and other Commonwealth Games medal winners bagged this year's Karnataka Rajyotsava awards announced on Saturday.
Ashwini Akkunje
Other Winners
It's the top state honour and the awards are given away annually for significant contribution in various fields.
This year's list has 162 names, and the awards, which would be presented on the state formation day on November one by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, were announced at a press conference by Kannada and Culture Minister Govind M Karjol.
Chairman of CII Karnataka, Aroon Raman, were among the winners which included CWG medal winners Ashwini Ponnappa, Ashwini Akkunje and Vikas Gowda. Ponnappa had bagged gold while Gowda a silver.
The Minister made a special mention of another winner Dr. Shiva S Halli who, he said, not only got Bill and Melinda Gates to visit Karnataka's Bijapur but was also responsible for getting a Rs 300 crore aid from their Foundation to fight HIV/AIDS in the region.
Ashwini Akkunje hails from Siddapur in Kundapur. She had played a lead role in ensuring a gold medal for the country in the 400 metres relay at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.