Karnataka Rajyotsava 2026: State Marks 70 Years Since Unification; 71 Achievers Named for Rajyotsava Awards

Karnataka is celebrating Kannada Rajyotsava, its formation day, on Sunday, 1 November. The occasion marks the day in 1956 when the old Mysore state was joined with the Kannada-speaking parts of the Bombay and Madras presidencies and the Hyderabad state under the States Reorganisation Act, creating a single state for Kannada speakers. This year marks 70 years since that unification.

The state kept the name Mysore until 1 November 1973, when it was renamed Karnataka under Chief Minister Devaraj Urs. The day is marked across the state with the red-and-yellow Kannada flag, the singing of the state anthem, processions and cultural programmes.

71 Rajyotsava Award winners

Ahead of the celebrations, the Karnataka government on Friday announced the 2026 Rajyotsava Awards, the state’s second-highest civilian honour, for 71 achievers. The awards recognise work in fields such as literature, art, folklore, education, science and technology, agriculture, medicine and social service.

Names from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi on the list include:

• B.V. Acharya, former Advocate General of Karnataka (judiciary)
• A.C. Bhandary of the Akhila Bharata Tulu Okkuta (social service)
• Gopala Ganiga, Yakshagana artiste
• Vishwanath Suvarna, photojournalist (media and photography)
• Dr Indira Hegde, writer and researcher (literature)

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar congratulated the winners on X, saying they had added to the state’s glory.

Featured image: Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. Photo: Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source).

Sources

• Karnataka government announces 2026 Rajyotsava Awards – The South First
• Karnataka Rajyotsava – Wikipedia