Ktk to institute award in memory of Bhimsen Joshi

Bangalore, Feb 25 (PTI) The Karnataka Government todayannounced that an award would be instituted in memory of lateHindustani vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

The Bhimsen Joshi Sangeet Ratna award would be givenannually to outstanding musicians and would carry a cashreward of Rs one lakh, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said inthe state Assembly.

The Assembly paid tribute to the doyen of music who hadleft an indelible mark in the field worldwide with hismellifluous Kirana Gharana style of singing.

Joshi, born in Gadag district in North Karnataka, was oneof the "stars in the galaxy of Hindustani musicians of thenation", Yeddyurappa said.

The House also paid homage to former Deputy ChiefMinister M P Prakash, whom Yeddyurappa and others describedas a "cultural and political ambassador of the state".

The drama theatre, whose construction Prakash had takenup, has not been completed and the government would sanctionRs one crore for its completion, Yeddyurappa said.

The House passed obituary references to former MLAs PThippaiah and Mohd Umar Abdulrehman, noted stage artisteBasavaraj Gudigeri and 102 Sabarimala pilgrims who died in astampede at Pullumedu in Kerala on January 14.