Udupi: The Karnataka Government’s decision to remove the name of Dr. G.S. Chandrashekhar, managing director of Adarsha Hospital, Udupi, from the initial list of Karnataka Rajyotsava Award recipients has triggered criticism, with social workers and members of the public questioning the explanation of a technical error.
Dr. Chandrashekhar’s name had initially been included in the social service category in recognition of his contributions through the Adarsha Charitable Trust. However, the government subsequently issued a revised order, stating that his name had appeared in the list due to a technical error.
The initial notification reportedly mentioned Uttara Kannada district instead of Udupi against his name. In the revised list, Dr. Chandrashekhar’s name was removed and Gajanana Umamaheshwara Bhat (G.U. Bhat) from Uttara Kannada was selected instead.
According to the revised government order, G.U. Bhat has made contributions to literature, journalism, theatre, cinema and television.
The decision has generated discussion on social media, with several people questioning why the district-related error resulted in the withdrawal of the award selection rather than a correction to the district name.
Dr. P.V. Bhandari questions government decision
Psychiatrist Dr. P.V. Bhandari has criticised the removal of Dr. Chandrashekhar’s name, describing the decision as unjustifiable.
He pointed out that Dr. Chandrashekhar had been engaged in public service for nearly 30 years and questioned the government’s decision to withdraw the recognition after his name had already been announced.
Dr. Bhandari argued that if the only error concerned the district name, the government could have issued a simple amendment replacing Uttara Kannada with Udupi.
He said withdrawing the award selection itself went beyond correcting a technical mistake and amounted to publicly humiliating a person who had committed no wrongdoing.
Dr. Bhandari urged Chief Minister and the Department of Kannada and Culture to reconsider the decision and re-announce Dr. Chandrashekhar’s selection for the Rajyotsava Award, correctly mentioning Udupi district.
Kannada Sahitya Parishat president expresses concern
Raviraj H.P., president of the Udupi Taluk unit of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, also expressed strong objections to the government’s action.
He said an injustice had been done to Dr. Chandrashekhar and described the decision to remove his name from the award list as condemnable.
Raviraj noted that Dr. Chandrashekhar’s contribution to society was significant, as he had consistently pursued social service alongside his medical profession for more than three decades.
He said it was unfortunate that a person with such a record of service had been excluded from the award list on the grounds of a technical error.
According to Raviraj, the decision had hurt not only Dr. Chandrashekhar but also the wider community that respected and trusted his work.
He urged the government to take the matter seriously, rectify what he described as an injustice and extend the recognition Dr. Chandrashekhar deserved for his social contributions.
Demand for reconsideration grows
The controversy has centred on whether the district-name discrepancy could have been resolved through a correction to the original notification instead of withdrawing the selection.
Those opposing the government’s decision have called for Dr. Chandrashekhar’s contribution to social service to be considered independently of the administrative error.
They have appealed to the state government to review the revised order and restore his name to the Rajyotsava Award list with Udupi correctly mentioned as his district.
The government’s explanation is that the original inclusion was the result of a technical error. However, the decision has prompted calls from members of the public and local representatives to reconsider the manner in which the correction was made.