Dr. Ramineni Foundation has announced its annual awards for five persons this year, with foundation chairman Dharmapracharak Ramineni revealing the names at a press conference on Saturday.
The Visishta Puraskaaram has been conferred on National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Chairman Govinda Raju Chintala. Three Visesha Puraskaarams were conferred on anchor and actor Suma Kanakala, badminton umpire Sudhakar Vemuri and Dwarakamani Seva Trust founder Bandlamudi Srinivas.
A special jury award called Pratyeka Puraskaaram was announced for Sonu Sood at the request of many Telugus, said foundation convener Pathuri Nagabhushanam.
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Mr. Nagabhushanam said that the foundation awards only four awards including one Visishta Puraskaaram and three Visesha Puraskaarams every year since 1999 on October 12, and this year, the special award will be conferred on Mr. Sood for his exemplary humanitarian service during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The convener said the awards are conferred on October 12 every year, marking the birth anniversary of Dr. Ramineni Ayyanna Chowdary on whose 70th birthday the foundation was established in Cincinnati, United States.
“Due to COVID-19, we are only announcing the awardees for now. The awards function will be conducted in December or January depending on the situation,” he said.
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The awardees were selected by a committee comprising L. V. Prasad Eye Institute founder Dr. G.N. Rao, noted psychologist B.V. Pattabhiram and veteran journalist K. Sriramachandra Murthy.
Ayyanna Chowdary of Brahmanakoduru village in Guntur left for the U.S. in 1955 where he worked as a professor.