MANGALURU
NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist Zakaria Jokatte, who recently received the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, announced that he will donate his ₹5 lakh cash prize to five organizations engaged in humanitarian service.
The beneficiaries include Sanidhya Residential School for the Mentally Challenged in Mangaluru, Sneha Deep Ashram for HIV-affected children in Bondel, Snehashalaya De-addiction Centre in Talapady, the Karunya Project under M. Friends Charitable Trust’s Lady Goschen initiative, and the Hidaya Colony Centre for Differently Abled Children in Kavalakatta. Each institution will receive ₹1 lakh.
Zakaria stated that the amount will be distributed during a civic felicitation event organized by his well-wishers’ group in November.
The Karnataka Government honored Zakaria Jokatte with the Rajyotsava Award for his outstanding contributions to philanthropy and social service. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, and Chief Minister’s Political Secretary Nazir Ahmed jointly presented the award, which includes ₹5 lakh in cash, a 25-gram gold medal, a citation, and a memento.
Through his charitable initiatives under M. Friends Charitable Trust, Zakaria Jokatte has supported numerous welfare programs across the state. His decision to share the award money reflects his continued dedication to serving society and uplifting underprivileged communities through compassion and collective effort.