Union Coal and Mines Minister and BJP Telangana state president G. Kishan Reddy on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, extended congratulations to seven distinguished recipients from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the broader Telugu community who received their Padma Awards during the second phase of the investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, presided over by President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

Context

The second phase of the Padma Awards Investiture Ceremony 2026 saw seven individuals connected to the Telugu community receive their honours from President Murmu. The awardees span a wide spectrum — from oncology and missile defence to genetics, cooperative movements and performing arts — reflecting the breadth of Telugu contributions to national life.

Kishan Reddy named each recipient individually, noting their field and category: Dr Dattatreyudu Nori received the Padma Bhushan in Medicine, while Dr Krishnamurthy Balasubramanian, Dr Chandramouli Gaddamanugu and Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj each received the Padma Shri in Science and Engineering. Shri Rama Reddy Mamidi was honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in Cooperation, while Shri Maganti Murali Mohan and Shri Gadde Rajendra Prasad received the Padma Shri in Arts.

Policy Backdrop

India's Padma Awards, instituted in 1954, are the country's highest civilian honours, conferred annually across disciplines including science, medicine, arts and public service. The awards are announced each year on Republic Day, with investiture ceremonies conducted in phases at Rashtrapati Bhavan under the presidence of the sitting President of India.

Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, the sole Padma Bhushan recipient among the Telugu awardees this cycle, is an internationally recognised radiation oncologist noted for advancements in cancer treatment and brachytherapy. Dr Chandramouli Gaddamanugu is a DRDO scientist credited with key contributions to the design and development of India's indigenous Akash missile system. Shri Maganti Murali Mohan, a veteran Telugu cinema actor, producer and former parliamentarian, has been recognised for his contributions to arts and philanthropy.

Stakeholders and Impact

The recognition carries significance for the Telugu-speaking community across both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, as well as the Indian diaspora represented by scientists and medical professionals of Telugu origin working internationally. The posthumous award to Shri Rama Reddy Mamidi for his role in the cooperative movement acknowledges contributions to grassroots economic organisation in the region.

For the defence and scientific community, the Padma Shri conferred on Dr Gaddamanugu underscores the government's continued recognition of indigenous defence technology development. Similarly, the honour to Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj, an internationally recognised geneticist, reflects national acknowledgement of frontier research in life sciences.

What's Next

With the second phase of investiture ceremonies now concluded, attention will turn to any remaining phases of the 2026 Padma Awards cycle. The broader Padma framework will next come into focus when the Republic Day 2027 announcement is made, which will set the stage for the next round of investiture ceremonies at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Regional representation from southern states, a consistent feature of recent awards cycles, is expected to remain a point of political and community interest.