HD Deve Gowda to Be Conferred With Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti Award for His Contribution to Welfare of SC/ST Communities
The award has been instituted by the State government of Karnataka. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh and a citation, which will be presented to Gowda by Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy.
Bengaluru, October 23: HD Deve Gowda, Former Prime Minister of India, will be conferred with the Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti Award for his contribution to the welfare of SC/ST communities. The award has been instituted by the State government of Karnataka. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh and a citation, which will be presented to Gowda by Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy.
Born on 18 May 1933, Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda has served as the 11th Prime Minister of India from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997. He was previously the 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1994 to 1996. Gowda is a member of the 16th Lok Sabha, representing the Hassan constituency of Karnataka, and is the National President of the Janata Dal (Secular) party. HD Deve Gowda Performs Yoga to Mark International Day of Yoga 2018, View Pics of Ex-PM.
Gowda has been the President of the state unit of the Janata Party twice and also served as a minister in the Janata Party Government in Karnataka headed by Ramakrishna Hegde from 1983 to 1988. Gowda became the President of the state unit of Janata Dal in 1994 and was the driving force behind the victory of the party in the 1994 State Assembly elections.
Pargat Diwas or Valmiki Jayanti is an annual Indian festival celebrated in particular by the Valmiki religious group. This year the Valmiki Jayanti will be celebrated on October 24. The festival commemorates the birth of the ancient Indian poet and philosopher Valmiki, who is thought to have lived around 500 BC.
Valmiki is revered in India as the author of the Indian epic poem Ramayana and is also worshipped as the Avatar of God in the Valmiki faith. The festival date is determined by the Indian lunar calendar and falls on the full moon (Purnima) of the month of Ashwin, typically in late September or early October.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 23, 2018 11:08 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).