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Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced that the state government would give a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and pension of Rs 25,000 per month to the Padma award winners from the state.
He made the announcement at an event held at Shilpakala Vedika in the city to congratulate this year’s Padma Award winners from the state.
In 2024, the central government named five people from Telangana in the Padma award list. They are A Velu Ananda Chari (Art), Dasari Kondappa (Art), Gaddam Sammaiah (Art), Kethavath Somlal (Literature and Education) and Kurrella Vittalacharya (Literature and Education).
Revanth said the decision to award cash prize and pension was taken after observing the “terrible financial conditions” faced by many Padma awardees, especially artists, in the past, even after winning the prestigious awards.
The event was attended by former vice president and BJP veteran M Venkaiah Naidu and senior Telugu actor K Chiranjeevi, who also won the Padma Vibhushan award this year under the Andhra Pradesh quota.
Dasari Kondappa
Dasari Kondappa has been awarded the Padma Shri for being the guardian of Burra Veena, an indigenous stringed instrument created from bamboo, gourd shell and metal strings.
The 63-year-old, from Narayanpet, is described as one of the last Burra Veena performers who dedicated his life to the indigenous art.
Third generation Donra Veena player from Damaragidda village in Narayanpet district, dedicated his life to preserving this art form for over 50 years.
He sings ‘Tatavalu’ socio-religious moral compositions and spiritual-philosophical interpretations in Telugu and Kannada. While Burra Veena’s custom is to play within her own community, Dasari went further to appeal to a wider audience.
Gaddam Sammaiah
Jangaon’s eminent Chindu Yakshaganam theater artist Gaddam Sammaiah has been nominated for Padma Shri in the art (dance-Yakshagana) category. The 67-year-old has been performing this heritage art form for more than five decades. He has performed in more than 19,000 plays that convey social messages on topics such as total literacy and environmental protection. He founded Chindu Yaksha Kalakarula Sangham and Gaddam Sammaiah Yuva Skethram to promote this art.
Of humble origins, he worked as an agricultural laborer. He learned the art form from his parents, both Chindu Yakshaganam artists.
Velu Ananda Chari
Padma Shri has been conferred on A. Velu Ananda Chari for his distinguished services in the field of art. The 71-year-old is a master Stapathi sculptor who has created more than 1,000 temples around the world.
Kethavath Somlal
Kethavath Somlal is another Padma Shri recipient from Telangana. He earned the honor for his contribution to literature and education. The 64-year-old is a renowned Lambadi author known for translating 701 slokas of the Bhagwad Gita into Lambadi.
Kurrella Vittalacharya
Kurella Vittalacharya has also been conferred Padma Shri for literature and education. The 85-year-old is a distinguished Telugu poet and author from Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. He established libraries in all villages and authored 22 books.
This post was last modified on February 4, 2024 4:47 pm