The Hon’ble President, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, presented the first phase of the Padma Awards for 2026 to 66 people, including three from Karnataka, at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi today. Vice President Shri C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, and other dignitaries were present at the event. Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh was honored with the Padma Bhushan in the field of Art. Shri Ankegowda M. and Dr. S. G. Susheelamma were presented with the Padma Shri for their contribution to Social Service. These awards recognize their lifetime achievements in preserving classical art and literature, and working for human welfare.
A Bright Star of Indian Classical Art and the Field of ‘Avadhana’
Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh is a globally recognised scholar in the field of ‘Avadhana’. This is a unique and traditional Indian art of quickly answering different poetic challenges without using a pen or paper. He has made massive contributions to India’s cultural heritage. He is credited with reviving this art form in Kannada. Avadhana is a performance that tests creativity, knowledge, fast thinking, and the ability to do many things at once. He has successfully performed more than 1,300 ‘Ashtavadhanas’ and 5 ‘Shatavadhanas’, mostly in Kannada and Sanskrit. Dr. Ganesh has mastered all forms of this art, added many new elements to it and inspired the youth to explore this ancient tradition.
Fifty Years of Love for Books: Sharing Knowledge Through ‘Pustaka Mane’
Shri Ankegowda M. is a famous book lover and preserver of knowledge from Mandya’s Pandavapura taluk in Karnataka. He has dedicated his entire life to collecting and saving books and offering free knowledge to the public. Over the last 50 years, Shri Ankegowda spent all his personal savings to collect more than 20 lakh books. His huge collection includes books in many Indian languages like Kannada, English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. It features rare books on topics like literature, history, art, culture, philosophy, spirituality, music, geography, science and social sciences. Today, his home is known as ‘Pustaka Mane’ (Book House) and acts as a free library for the public.
Five Decades of Selfless Service: ‘Amma’ Who Brought Hope to the Helpless
Dr. S. G. Susheelamma is the Founder-President of Bengaluru’s famous ‘Sumangali Sevaashrama’. She has spent the last 50 years working for the welfare of the poor and helpless. She has dedicated herself to helping motherless children, women in distress, tribal groups, senior citizens and the needy, who all lovingly call her ‘Amma’ (Mother). Under her leadership, the ashram runs several successful programs for different groups of people. These include ‘Premananda Makkala Kuteera’ (a home for orphaned and abandoned girls), ‘Basavananda Higher Primary School’, ‘Sumangali Sevaashrama Girls’ High School’, and ‘Kanmani Kindergarten’, which offers free education to children from poor families. Additionally, she has set up ‘Souharda’ (a short-stay shelter for women in distress), ‘Punyakoti Vanaprasthashrama’ (a care home for elderly women), a primary health center for the poor and free clinics providing basic medical treatment and mental health support.
