Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy voiced his disappointment on Saturday regarding the Centre’s alleged oversight of the names put forward by the state government for the Padma Awards. Reports indicate that he is considering drafting a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address what he perceives as an injustice towards Telangana.
During a meeting with ministers and officials, Reddy highlighted that this perceived negligence is an affront to the people of Telangana. He criticized the Centre for not recognizing the contributions of prominent individuals from the state, who were nominated for the prestigious awards.
The Telangana government had suggested several deserving candidates for the Padma Awards, including renowned folk singer and balladeer Gaddar for Padma Vibhushan, educationist Chukka Ramaiah and poet Ande Sri for Padma Bhushan, along with poet and singer Gorati Venkanna and historian Jayadheer Tirumala Rao for Padma Shri. Reddy remarked that the central government’s failure to consider these recommendations is an insult to the approximately 40 million residents of Telangana.
Expressing “serious dissatisfaction,” Reddy noted that despite the selection of 139 individuals for the awards, none were from Telangana. He emphasized the need to address this issue in his correspondence with PM Modi.
In an official statement, he congratulated the Padma award winners from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, praising their dedication and hard work. Among the awardees were actor Balakrishna, medical doctor Nageshwar Reddy, and Manda Krishna Madiga, all of whom Reddy lauded for their achievements.
