Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday that Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, who died last year, will be honoured posthumously with the 'Karnataka Ratna' award on November 1, the state's formation day.

He will be the state's tenth recipient of the highest civilian honour. "We have chosen to confer the Karnataka Ratna award on Puneeth Rajkumar on November 1; we will form a committee comprised of Rajkumar family members to prepare for it, and it will be conferred with full honour," Bommai said.

He was speaking after starting off the annual Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh's glass house in this city. This year's flower show honours Kannada thespian Dr Rajkumar and his son, actor Puneeth Rajkumar, with a floral tribute. Puneeth, the youngest of five children of Kannada matinée idol Dr Rajkumar, died of a cardiac arrest on October 29 at the age of 46 and was considered the Kannada cinema's reigning star.

The Chief Minister had made an announcement to confer the award on the late actor in November last year, at the ''Puneetha Namana,'' an event to pay homage to Puneeth Rajkumar, organised by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), in association with Sandalwood film actors' and technicians' associations.

Dr Virendra Heggade received the Karnataka Ratna for social service in 2009. Puneeth's late father, Rajkumar, was one of the first recipients of the Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with poet Kuvempu. S Nijalingappa (Politics), CNR Rao (Science), Dr Devi Prasad Shetty (Medical), Bhimsen Joshi (Music), Shivakumara Swamiji (Social Service), and Dr J Javaregowda are among the recipients of the award (Education & Literature).

Puneeth, popularly known as 'Appu' and 'power star' by his fans, had his movie debut at the age of six months and went on to win a national award as a child artiste for the film 'Bettada Hoovu.' He subsequently made a comeback as a lead character in 2002, appearing in 29 films and achieving some big hits.

Noting that the flower show has been on since 1922 and attracts a large number of people, Bommai said this being the 75th year of India's Independence it has a special significance and from tomorrow lakhs of people will be coming for next ten days to witness the show.