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CM Revanth Reddy honors Padma Shri awardees with Rs. 25 lakh each

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Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Honors Padma Shri Awardees

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy awarded ₹25 lakh cheques to Padma Shri recipients. The ceremony took place at the Secretariat, with recipients Gaddam Sammaiah, Dasari Kondappa, Velu Anandachari, Kurella Vithalacharya, Kethavath Somlal, and Uma Maheshwari receiving their cheques.

Celebrating cultural excellence

Gaddam Sammaiah, born on January 1, 1956, is celebrated for his work in Yakshagana, a traditional folk theatre art of Telangana. Inheriting the craft from his parents, he has become a distinguished artist, writer, singer, and director. He has performed over 19,240 shows focusing on government welfare and social issues and has earned numerous awards.

Dr. Velu Anandachari, an expert in traditional temple sculpture and architecture, was born on June 1, 1952. He has worked on numerous significant temple projects, including the Yadadri Temple. He has published important works on temple architecture and has received many accolades, including an honorary doctorate from the United Theological University, USA.

Dr. Kurella Vithalacharya, a notable poet and writer born on July 9, 1938, has written 30 books and founded several institutions to promote literacy and culture. He converted his house into a library, which now contains over two lakh books. He has been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has received multiple honors, including the “Mahakavi Dasaradhi Puraskaram.”

Dasari Kondappa, born on January 1, 1960, is one of the last remaining Burraveena players in Telangana. He has spent over 50 years preserving this traditional art form, performing socio-religious and philosophical renditions in Telugu and Kannada.

Kethavath Somlal, born on August 8, 1959, is dedicated to preserving the Banjara culture and language. He translated the Bhagavad Gita into Lambadi and has received numerous awards, including the “Uttama Kalakar” award from the Telangana Chief Minister.

Uma Maheshwari, a Harikatha exponent from Andhra Pradesh, is the first female performer to present various ragas globally. Born into a family of artists, she has performed 800 times in Telugu and 600 times in Sanskrit, receiving the Rashtrapati Award for her efforts in preserving this storytelling art form.