The State has been given a raw deal by the Central Government in the conferment of Padma awards yet again.
Of the 75 persons announced for Padma awards, only two names suggested by the State government had been approved while the Centre . Names of veteran film actor Kota Srinivasa Rao, a former BJP MLA, and noted oncologist Nori Dattatreyudu figured in the list of Padma awardees announced by the Union Government on Sunday. According to sources, the State nominated noted film director Bapu (Sattiraju Lakshminarayana) for the coveted Padma Vibhushan award posthumously in recognition of his services to the Indian cinema in general and Telugu films in particular. Bapu was conferred Padma Sri in 2013. Similarly, the names of carnatic vocalist Nedunuri Krishna Murthy and Sanskrit scholar Chaganti Koteswara Rao had been reportedly recommended for the prestigious awards, but they did not figure in the final list. The State government has suggested names of several other personalities too, including those from the medicine fraternity, sports and other areas, but they were not considered.