Padma awards: One for AP, none for Telangana

Andhra Pradesh had to be content with just one Padma Shri for badminton sensation Srikanth Kidambi.

india Updated: Jan 26, 2018 12:31 IST

Badminton player Srikanth Kidambi was awarded Padma Shri by the Centre for his exceptional performance in the game across the world this year.(PTI)

The Padma Awards 2018 were a big disappointment for the two Telugu states as Telangana drew a complete blank and Andhra Pradesh had to be content with just one Padma Shri for badminton sensation Srikanth Kidambi, who won gold in four tournaments of Badminton World Federation super series last year.

“It is highly deplorable and unfortunate. What else is there to comment?” was the cryptic reaction of K Ramanachary, media advisor to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The Telangana government is learnt to have recommended as many as 25 names to the Centre for Padma awards this year, including Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao.

The other nominees included: former Kakatiya University vice chancellor and Telangana ideologue late Prof K Jayashankar and former planning commission member late Ch Hanumantha Rao (for Padma Vibhushan), badminton superstar P V Sindhu and famous English writer late Prof Shiv K Kumar (for Padma Bhushan), popular lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja, folk singer Goreti Venkanna and academician Chukka Ramaiah (for Padma Shri).

None of them could make it to the list released by the Centre on Thursday night.

Sindhu was also recommended by Andhra Pradesh government, besides several prominent personalities including Kuchipudi exponent Anand Shankar Jayant, spiritual speaker Chaganti Koteshwar Rao and renowned doctor Vishnu Swaroop Reddy for Padma awards.

Last year, the two Telugu states got as many as eight Padma awards — five for Telangana and three for AP. The awardees from Telangana were renowned sculptor Aekka Yadagiri Rao, physician Dr Mohammed Abdul Waheed, retired scientist of BARC and ECIL Chandrakant Pithowa, social worker and tree lover Daripalli Ramaiah and former Nasscom chairman B V R Mohan Reddy.

Retired civil servant Tripuraneni Hanuman Chowdary, writer V Koteswaramma and entrepreneur Chintakindi Mallesham received Padma Shri awards from Andhra Pradesh.