Two from TS to receive Padma Bhushan, three to receive Padma Shri awards

Hyderabad: Spiritual leader Chinna Jeeyar Swami and music composer M.M. Keeravani led the charge of Telugu states in the Padma awards list announced on Wednesday, ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.

Winning a Padma Shri, Keeravani adds another feather to his cap, after
recently winning the Golden Globes award for original song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the movie ‘RRR’ and making the Oscar shortlist for the same.

Telangana is a recipient of two Padma Bhushan and three Padma Shri awards this year, as per the announcement, while seven eminent personalities from Andhra Pradesh won the Padma Shri.

In Telangana, the Padma Bhushan awardees include spiritual leader Chinna Jeeyar Swami (spirituality) and yoga master Kamlesh D. Patel. Among the Padma Shri awardees are biologist Modadugu Vijay Gupta (science and engineering), paediatrician Dr Hanumantha Rao Pasupuleti (medicine) and linguist B. Rama Krishna Reddy (literature and education).

The winners from Andhra Pradesh include M.M. Keeravani (art), Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara (science and engineering), C.V. Raju (art), Abbareddy Nageswara Rao (science and engineering), Kota Satchidananda Sastry (art), Sankurathri Chandra Sekhar (social work) and Prakash Chandra Sood (literature and education).

Chinna Jeeyar Swami was instrumental in getting the Statue of Equality, the second tallest sitting statue in the world, built and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last February. Jeeyar Swami is known for his spiritual discourses on Vaishnavism.

Kamlesh D. Patel, popularly known as Daaji, is a spiritual leader and a raja yoga master, who is popular for his discourses on the heartfulness of meditation. His organisation holds free mediation classes in around 130 countries.

Modadugu Vijay Gupta is a biologist and fisheries scientist, who has worked majorly in the field of aquaculture and is considered a pioneer of the blue revolution in Southeast Asia.

Dr Hanumantha Rao Pasupuleti is known internationally for his specialisation in developmental paediatrics, rehabilitation medicine and psychology. He has contributed to the rehabilitation of mentally challenged and disabled people.

B. Ramakrishna Reddy is an 80-year-old linguistics professor, who has made immense contributions towards the preservation of tribal and southern languages like Kivi, Manda and Kui. He has also drafted a Manda-English dictionary and co-authored five books.

The Padma awards are given in various disciplines or fields of activities, comprising art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service.

The winners are announced on the occasion of Republic Day.

Among the Andhra Pradesh winners, M.M. Keeravani is a popular Indian music composer, singer and lyricist who works mainly in Telugu cinema.

Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara is an Indian bio-organic chemist and the founder-director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Tirupati. He is also a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in chemical sciences, for his contribution to understanding chemical principles of DNA molecular recognition and for his work on various facets of DNA structure and their interaction with drugs and proteins.

C.V. Raju revived the Etikoppaka (wooden) industry by taking back to its organic roots.

Abbareddy Nageswara Rao is credited with the discovery of 33 new orchid species and he is the only scientist in India who has the distinction of discovering the highest number of orchid species.

Kota Satchidananda Sastry is a Harikatha artist and possesses a subtle sense of humour. He is also a good singer and is well-versed in popular Telugu numbers.