Seven personalities from Telangana have been selected for the Padma Shri this year in recognition of their outstanding contributions across diverse fields including science, engineering, medicine, arts, research and the cooperative movement.
Among the awardees is distinguished scientist Chandramouli Gaddamanugu, who served as Project Director at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). With a career spanning over three decades, he played a key role in the development of the Akash missile system that showcased India’s indigenous defence capabilities.
Senior scientist Krishnamurty Balasubramanian has been honoured in the category of Science and Engineering for his pioneering work in advanced materials and engineering components. He is widely regarded for advancing high-end materials research in the country.
In the field of medicine, Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy, director and senior oncologist at Apollo Cancer Centre, has been named. G.V. Rao, director and chief of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery at AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad, also figures in the list.
The award has also been conferred on Kumarasamy Thangaraj, senior scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), who heads a research group and is internationally recognised for his pioneering work in human genetics and population studies.
