Bengaluru, September 27, 2026: Bengaluru-based drone pilot, aerial cinematographer, FPV pilot and content creator Srihari Karanth has been honoured with the Best Video Creator Award at the first-ever Karnataka Tourism Awards 2026, recognising his contribution to showcasing Karnataka through video and aerial storytelling.
The award was presented to Srihari Karanth by Hon’ble Tourism Minister Shri K. J. George at the inaugural Karnataka Tourism Awards ceremony held at Anantya Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, on World Tourism Day, September 27, 2026.
The ceremony was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Tourism Minister Shri K. J. George, Tourism Department Secretary Dr. Ram Prasath Manohar and other senior officials and tourism industry representatives. Post-event coverage by major publications including India Today, Deccan Herald and The Hindu also reported on the ceremony and announcements made during the event.
Karnataka’s First-Ever Tourism Awards
The Karnataka Tourism Awards 2026 were instituted by the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, in association with Karnataka Tourism Society as a state-level platform to recognise individuals, organisations and businesses contributing to the growth of tourism across Karnataka.
The inaugural awards were announced with 35 awards across five broad categories:
- Accommodation & Hospitality
- Tour Operators & Travel Agents
- Events, Venues & Infrastructure
- Sustainability & Rural Tourism
- Education, Publications & Individuals
The awards covered a wide range of the tourism ecosystem, including hotels and resorts, tour operators, heritage attractions, guides, naturalists, rural tourism initiatives, publications, startups, influencers and video creators.
The official winners page now lists 42 award recipients across these five categories, reflecting multiple recipients in some award categories. Srihari Karanth was named one of the winners of Best Video Creator.
The award adds a significant new credential to Srihari Karanth’s career as a drone pilot, aerial cinematographer and video creator from Karnataka.
The list of the winners can be found in this link: https://karnatakatourismawards.com/winners/
Jai Karnataka! 🚁🎥🏆