Did you know? In India, there is a state that celebrates its State Ratna Awards, just like we celebrate the “Bharat Ratna Awards,” which are given to those who have served and contributed to their state. The Bharat Ratna awards are for exceptional service and contributions to the nation in various fields, including arts, literature, science, and public service.
Can you guess the name of the state with the help of the title? And yes, it’s Karnataka. The Karnataka Ratna Awards ceremony is organized by the government of Karnataka to honor individuals for their outstanding work and services, and to encourage people to work for the state.
In today’s blog from the National Film Awards 2025, we walk you through “Karnataka State Awards.” When it started?, how many people won the award?, when this it was started, and many more details.
Let’s explore this blog and discover the list of Karnataka Ratna Award Winners and more related information.
What is the Karnataka Ratna Award?
The government celebrates the Karnataka Ratna Awards in Karnataka during the tenure of Chief Minister S. Bangarappa.
It’s a state awards ceremony recognizing a person’s extraordinary contribution in any field. It’s the highest civilian award of the state.
The Government of Karnataka established it in 1992, and since then, 10 people have received this award. The awards come with a gold medal weighing 50 g, a citation, a memento, and a shawl.
Karnataka Ratna Awards 2025 Winners List:
The winners of the 2025 Karnataka Ratna Awards are Vishnuvardhan and B. Saroja Devi. After 3 years, the government of Karnataka announced that it would be honored with the Karnataka Ratna.
The exact ceremony date has not been announced yet. When the official date is announced, we will update you. To get updated, sign up for more.
| Year | Recipient | Field / Contribution |
| 2025 | Vishnuvardhan | Cinema (Kannada film industry) |
| 2025 | B. Saroja Devi | Cinema (Kannada & South Indian film industry) |
All Other Karnataka Ratna Awards Winners List
Below is the list of all-time Karnataka Ratna Awards winners, which is presented year-wise.
For the first time, “Kuvempu” and “Dr. Rajkumar” have won the Karnataka Ratna Awards in Literature and Cinema as well. And last, gave this award in 2022 to Puneeth Rajkumar for cinema.
| Year | Recipient | Field / Contribution |
| 1992 | C. N. R. Rao | Science (Chemistry) |
| 1992 | Kuvempu | Literature (Kannada) |
| 1993 | Dr. Rajkumar | Cinema (Kannada film industry) |
| 1994 | Veerendra Heggade | Social service (Dharmasthala) |
| 1995 | S. Nijalingappa | Politics (Former CM of Karnataka) |
| 1996 | D. Devaraj Urs | Politics (Former CM of Karnataka) |
| 1998 | Shivakumara Swami | Social service, Education |
| 1999 | Bhimsen Joshi | Music (Hindustani classical) |
| 2022 | Puneeth Rajkumar | Cinema, Philanthropy |
If we talk about the Karnataka State Ratna Awards, it has only been held eight times since its inception. This is a state awards ceremony, recognizing a person’s extraordinary contribution in any field. It’s the highest civilian award of the state.
The awards come with a gold medal weighing 50g, a citation, a memento, and a shawl.
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