Puppeteer, ‘people’s psychiatrist’ to sports icon and social worker, Karnataka’s list of Padma award winners is diverse

From a diverse range of individuals, including a tennis player, a psychiatrist, and a social worker, Karnataka's Padma award winners are celebrated.

From a puppeteer and a ‘people’s psychiatrist’ to a specially-abled social worker and a sports icon, the list of Padma award winners from Karnataka is diverse.

World-renowned tennis player, Rohan Machanda Bopanna, who recently became the oldest player in the men’s double category for achieving the World Ranking number 1, took to X and said, “I am extremely grateful to have been conferred the Padma Shri Award. Thank you for the honour and to all those who have supported me through this journey.” He will play in the finals of Australian Open (men’s doubles category) with Matthew Ebden on January 27.

Popularly known as ‘the people’s psychiatrist’, Dr. C. R. Chandrashekhar was conferred the Padma Shri for his contributions in Medicine. The former Deputy Medical Supeintendent at NIMHANS and the present honorary consultant at Samadhana Centre has served the community for over 50 years and has treated over 50,000 patients free of cost. He has also donated ₹1.2 crore towards NIMHANS’s Dementia Care Centre and has willed his houses, land and valuables to NIMHANS.  “It is always a joyous occassion to receive an award. It feels good to be recognised by the Union government,” Dr. Chandrashekhar said. 

For most of them, it was an unexpected win, and they all hope that the award acts as a catalyst for them to continue their work in their respective fields. 

“There was never any expectation of winning an award. We have been doing work to which we are committed and we will continue to do so. This award should be viewed as the vindication of the importance of education and the criticality of the National Education Policy,” said educationist Sridhar Madam Krishnamurthy (M.K.Sridhar), who was awarded the Padma Shri in the Literature and Education category. 

The educationist, who is bound to his wheelchair, is currently the chancellor of Chanakya University in Bengaluru. He is also well known for his role in the Committee for Draft National Education Policy 2019 and Chairman of the Karnataka Committee on Technology Enabled Learning. 

Anupama Hosakere, the 59 year old engineer-turned-puppeteer is the Founder – director of Dhaatu Puppet Theatre in the city, has been conferred with many awards including the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar, but the Padma Shri (Arts), as she described, “is a hug from mother earth.”