VIJAYAWADA: Seven eminent persons from Andhra Pradesh, including noted music composer MM Keeravani, are among the 91 selected for the Padma Shri Awards by the Centre. Koduri Marakatamani Keeravani, popularly known as MM Keeravani, hails from Kovvur in West Godavari district. He got international recognition by winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for the popular ‘Naatu Naatu’ song.
In the social work category, Sankurathri Chandra Sekhar has got the Padma honour. Chandra Sekhar, a biologist with Health Canada, settled in Ottawa. He lost his wife and two children in bombing of Air India Flight . He decided to move ahead and gave his life a new purpose.
In 1988, he sold his house in Canada, and settled down in his wife’s village in Kakinada. He started the Sankurathri Foundation in 1989 with an aim of providing good health facilities to the rural people. In Science and Engineering category, Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara has been selected for the award. Ganesh Nagappa, a bioorganic chemist, is working as the Director of Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Sri Rama College, Tirupati.
Earlier, he worked as a scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyd, & National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. He worked as Professor and Director, IISER, Pune. He received the Medal for Young Scientists, Indian National Science Academy, Delhi.Abbareddy Nageswara Rao, a sexagenarian, is a scientist who discovered 33 orchid species in North East India, has also been selected for Padma Shri Award.
In arts category, Bhagavathar Kota Satchidananda Sastry of Guntur, a Burrakatha exponent, and CV Raju, an Etikoppaka artiste, have won Padma honours. Prakash Chandra Sood, honorary professor in Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, has been selected for Padma Shri in Literature and Education category.
CM Jagan congratulated the persons who have been selected for Awards.