Veteran journalist Kalle Shivottama Rao was honoured with the prestigious Devaraj Urs Award by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday conferred the prestigious Devaraj Urs Award on senior journalist Kalle Shivottama Rao, recognizing his lifelong contributions to journalism and social justice.
Speaking at the 110th birth anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs, Siddaramaiah praised Urs as a visionary who worked tirelessly to promote social justice, equality, and empowerment of marginalized communities. He recalled Urs’s pivotal role in renaming Mysore State as Karnataka and his historic reforms, including land reforms and reservations for backward classes.
“Urs believed political freedom would have no meaning without social and economic freedom. His efforts to abolish inequality and empower Dalits, the poor, and backward classes remain unmatched,” Siddaramaiah said, adding that social change must be continuous to dismantle caste structures.
The Chief Minister also defended his government’s welfare schemes such as Anna Bhagya and Shakti, stressing that guarantees have strengthened Karnataka’s economy, with per capita income doubling from ₹1.04 lakh in 2013-14 to ₹2.05 lakh in 2024-25. Karnataka now ranks first in per capita income in India, he said.
On the awardee, Siddaramaiah lauded 96-year-old Kalle Shivottama Rao’s socialist background and fearless journalism, noting that Rao had criticized governments, including his own, without hesitation. “He should have received this award much earlier. It is an honour to felicitate such a deserving personality,” he said, wishing him a long life.
Ministers Shivraj Tangadagi, Nazir Ahmad, H.M. Revanna, legislators, and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
