New Delhi, Apr 24 (UNI) Google today paid tribute to noted Kannada actor Rajkumar on his 88th birth anniversary by dedicating its doodle to the actor. The doodle shows Rajkumar in a movie theatre with audience sitting and watching him. Born on April 24, 1929, he was widely acclaimed as one of the finest actors in the history of Indian cinema and considered a cultural icon, and holds a matinée idol status in the Kannada diaspora. Besides and actor Rajkumar was also a singer in the Kannada cinema. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1983 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1995 for lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema. He also received eleven Karnataka State Film Awards, ten South Filmfare Awards, one National Film Award, the NTR National Award in 2002 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore. In 2000, he was kidnapped from his farm house at Gajanur by Veerappan and was released after 108 days. He died in Bangalore on 12 April 2006 at the age of 77. UNI RBE SNU AS1608