"I accept this honour with great humility": Dr Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy dedicates Padma Shri to patients and teachers

Reacting to the honour, Dr Reddy said he accepted the award with humility and thanked the Government of India for recognising the efforts. Speaking to ANI here, he said, "I accept this honour with great humility. I'm grateful to the Government of India for recognising our efforts, and I truly dedicate this to my patients, my family and to the teachers who have taught me and to the Apollo Hospitals for allowing me to take care of these patients, especially the children, free of cost for the last three decades."

On the eve of Republic Day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unveiled the official list of Padma awardees for 2026. The prestigious civilian honours recognise individuals from diverse fields, including arts, literature, social service, medicine, education and public service, for their excellence, dedication and long-term contribution to society.

The Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian honours of India, are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field of activity.

Along with Dr Reddy, Brij Lal Bhat was also awarded Padma Shri for social work. He dedicated his achievement to Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari. Speaking to ANI, he recalled years of effort to sustain and promote Sanatan Dharma in regions affected by terrorism. "I dedicate this honour to the Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari. After the 1989-90 exodus, the situation was such that the entire Hindu community had left, and even the nationalist elements had gone. Our Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, has 850-900 branches. The concern was how to connect the displaced people to their roots, so that we could continue Sanatan Dharma activities there, and how to promote the qualities of Sanatan Dharma in Kashmir, where there was so much terrorism," he said.

Additionally, social worker and chemistry professor Mahendra Nath Roy expressed his joy over the award and asserted that he motivates his students to be "great human beings." Meanwhile, Nilesh Mandlewala thanked the Government of India for the award and described the recognition as "a new lease on life."

Furthermore, Algoja player Tagaram Bheel reflected on his 55 years of dedication to the craft and thanked the government for recognising his and his father's years of passion and hard work.

Additionally, Archaeologist Dr Narayan Vyas and his family members celebrated after the announcement of his being conferred with the Padma Shri 2026. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the award will inspire more people, calling it "a moment of pride for the country" while expressing the overwhelming experience. (ANI)