Karnataka to Honour Cinema Legends Vishnuvardhan, Saroja Devi with Karnataka Ratna

Karnataka is set to honour two of Indian cinema's most celebrated personalities, Dr Vishnuvardhan and veteran actress B Saroja Devi, with its highest civilian distinction, the Karnataka Ratna, at a grand ceremony on November 19, 2026. The awards will be conferred posthumously in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to Kannada cinema and their lasting influence on the Indian film industry across multiple languages and generations.

Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi announced that Chief Minister D K Shivakumar would present the awards at a grand function in Bengaluru. The government is making efforts to invite superstar Rajinikanth and actresses Lakshmi and Suhasini to the ceremony. The date was initially proposed as November 14 before being finalised for November 19.

Born as Sampath Kumar in Mysuru in 1950, Vishnuvardhan, popularly known as Sahasa Simha, built a career spanning nearly four decades and approximately 220 films across five languages. His breakthrough came with Puttanna Kanagal's Naagarahaavu (1972), followed by memorable performances in Bandhana, Muthina Haara, Yajamana, Suprabhatha and Aapthamitra. He received four Filmfare Awards South for Best Actor in Kannada, the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 and an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University in 2005. He was also honoured with the Dr Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Beyond acting, he contributed to music and philanthropy through the Vibha Charitable Trust, supporting education, healthcare and cultural initiatives. A commemorative postage stamp was issued in his honour in 2013, while a memorial dedicated to him was inaugurated near Mysuru in 2023.

Born in Bengaluru in 1938, B Saroja Devi, popularly called Abhinaya Saraswathi, became one of India's earliest female superstars, appearing in more than 200 films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Her celebrated performances included Kittur Chennamma, Kasturi Nivasa, Babruvahana, Nadodi Mannan, Enga Veettu Pillai and Anbe Vaa. Her successful screen partnerships with M G Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan established her prominence in Tamil cinema. She received the Padma Shri in 1969 and Padma Bhushan in 1992, besides the Government of India's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. She also chaired the feature film jury of the 53rd National Film Awards. Her short film Prarambha premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007.

The Karnataka Ratna, instituted in 1992, was first awarded to Kuvempu and Dr Rajkumar. Other recipients include C N R Rao, Bhimsen Joshi, Devi Shetty and Puneeth Rajkumar, who received it posthumously in 2022. Saroja Devi will become the award's first woman recipient.

Meanwhile, 71 personalities will receive the Karnataka Rajyotsava Awards on November 1, marking 71 years of Karnataka's formation. Each recipient will receive ₹5 lakh and a 25-gram gold medal. Twelve women feature among this year's awardees, selected through five subcommittees and a high-level committee.