Vijayawada: Seven eminent persons from Andhra Pradesh selected for Padma Shri awards are among the 91 selected for the Padma Shri Awards by the Union Government.

MM Keeravani in arts division, Sankurathri Chandra Sekhar, a biologist with Health Canada has got the Padma honour for social work. 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.

 

Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara has been selected for the Padma Award in the field of In Science and Engineering category. Ganesh Nagappa, a bio-organic chemist, is working as the Director

of Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Sri Rama College, Tirupati.

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.