{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox civilian award | name = Karnataka Ratna Award | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | subheader = ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರತ್ನ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ | awarded_for = Highest civilian honour of Karnataka | sponsor = Government of Karnataka | established = {{start date and age|df=yes|1992|p=y}} | firstawarded = 1992 | recentawarded = | reward = | former_name = | holder_label = Most recent winner(s) | holder = 2025<br>{{bulleted list|B. Saroja Devi|Vishnuvardhan}} | award1_type = Total awarded | award1_winner = 12 | award2_type = First winner(s) | award2_winner = {{bulleted list|Kuvempu| Rajkumar}} | next = Rajyotsava Award }}
The '''Karnataka Ratna''' is the highest civilian honour of the State of Karnataka, India. It is awarded in recognition of a person's extraordinary contribution in any field. It was instituted in the year 1992 by the then Chief Minister of Karnataka, S. Bangarappa<ref name="javaregowda">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100131100019/http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/16/stories/2010011653560400.htm Karnataka Ratna award for Javara Gowda, Veerendra Heggade]</ref> by the Government of Karnataka. A total of twelve persons have received this award.
== The award ==
The Award comes with a gold medal weighing 50 gm, a citation, a memento and a shawl.<ref name="javaregowda" />
== List of recipients ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Recipient<br /> <small>(birth–death) </small> ! Image ! Field ! Notes |- | rowspan=2|1992 ! Kuvempu<br /> <small>(1904–1994) </small> | 100px | Literature | |- ! Dr. Rajkumar<br /> <small>(1929–2006) </small> | 100px | Cinema | |- | 1999 ! S. Nijalingappa<br /> <small>(1902–2000) </small> | 100px | Politics | <ref>{{cite web |title=A home of mementos |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/A-home-of-mementos/article16654157.ece |website=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215164355/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/A-home-of-mementos/article16654157.ece |archive-date=15 December 2019 |language=en-IN |date=4 February 2009}}</ref> |- | 2000 ! C. N. R. Rao<br /> <small>(b. 1934) </small> | 100px | Science | <ref>{{cite news |title=Karnataka Ratna for C.N.R Rao |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/karnataka-ratna-for-cnr-rao/article27924457.ece |work=The Hindu |date=27 March 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215164326/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/karnataka-ratna-for-cnr-rao/article27924457.ece |archive-date=15 December 2019 |language=en-IN}}</ref> |- | 2001 ! Devi Shetty<br /> <small>(b.1953) </small> | 100px | Medicine | <ref name="devishetty">{{cite web| url = https://www.deccanherald.com/content/222128/padma-bhushan-raises-bar-devi.html| title = Padma Bhushan raises the bar for Devi Shetty {{!}} Deccan Herald| date = 25 January 2012}} </ref> |- | 2005 ! Bhimsen Joshi<br /> <small>(1922–2011) </small> | 100px | Music | <ref>{{cite news |title=Bhimsen Joshi conferred upon 'Karnataka Rathna' |url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/bhimsen-joshi-conferred-upon-karnataka-rathna_245420.html |access-date=16 November 2021 |work=Zee News |date=30 September 2005 |language=en}}</ref> |- | 2007 ! Shivakumara Swami<br /> <small>(1907–2019) </small> | 100px | Social service | <ref>{{cite news |title=Siddaganga seer receives Karnataka Ratna |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Siddaganga-seer-receives-Karnataka-Ratna/article14743521.ece |work=The Hindu |date=2 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629105938/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Siddaganga-seer-receives-Karnataka-Ratna/article14743521.ece |archive-date=29 June 2018 |language=en-IN}}</ref> |- | 2008 ! Javare Gowda<br /> <small>(1915–2016) </small> | 100px | Education and literature | <ref name="javaregowda" /> |- | 2009 ! Veerendra Heggade<br /> <small>(b. 1948) </small> | 100px | Social service | <ref name="javaregowda" /> |- | 2022 |bgcolor="#CEE8F0" align="center"| <br>'''Puneeth Rajkumar'''#<br>{{small|(1975{{ndash}}2021)}}{{efn|Puneeth Rajkumar died on 29 October 2021, at the age of 46.}} | 100px | Cinema and social service | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-20 |title='Karnataka Ratna' award for Puneeth Rajkumar on November 1 |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-ratna-award-for-puneeth-rajkumar-on-november-1-8221391/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan=2|2025 |bgcolor="#CEE8F0" align="center"| <br>'''B. Saroja Devi'''#<br>{{small|(1938{{ndash}}2025)}}{{efn|B. Saroja Devi died on 14 July 2025, at the age of 87.}} | 100px | rowspan=2|Cinema |rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/vishnuvardhan-saroja-devi-karnataka-ratna-award-posthumously-10244410/|title=Vishnuvardhan, Saroja Devi to be conferred with Karnataka Ratna award posthumously|work=Indian Express|date=11 September 2025}}</ref> |- |bgcolor="#CEE8F0" align="center"| <br>'''Dr. Vishnuvardhan'''#<br>{{small|(1950{{ndash}}2009)}}{{efn|Vishnuvardhan died on 30 December 2009, at the age of 59.}} | 100px |- |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.karnataka.gov.in/page/Awards/State%20Awards/Karnataka+Ratna/en Karnataka Ratna recipients]
{{Karnataka topics}}
Category:Civil awards and decorations of Karnataka * Category:Awards established in 1992 Category:Awards disestablished in 2009