Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jan 26: Anke Gowda, S G Susheelamma and Dr Suresh Hanagavadi from Karnataka have been named recipients of the prestigious Padma Shri Awards, announced on the eve of Republic Day.
The Padma Awards, among India’s highest civilian honours, recognise exceptional contributions across diverse fields. This year, Anke Gowda has been selected under the ‘unsung heroes’ category for her selfless service.
Dr Suresh Hanagavadi, professor of pathology at JJM Medical College and founder of the Karnataka Hemophilia Society, has been honoured for his decades-long contribution to improving the lives of hemophilia patients. A severe hemophilic himself, Hanagavadi has travelled extensively across the country to strengthen hemophilia care services and played a key role in ensuring that expensive medicines are made available free of cost at government district hospitals across Karnataka.
He has also established a state-of-the-art Hemophilia Treatment Centre in Davangere, bringing all inherited blood disorder services under one roof by mobilising support from the public, philanthropists and the government. Recognised earlier as a Changemaker in 2021, Hanagavadi said the Padma honour came as a surprise.
“This is the result of nearly four decades of efforts to get national-level recognition for hemophilia. The silent pain of hemophilia patients has been rewarded. I hope this award helps ensure quality healthcare for hemophilics across the country,” he said, recalling that late playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, associated with the Karnataka Hemophilia Society, had often encouraged him to seek national recognition.
S G Susheelamma has also been recognised among this year’s Padma awardees, which celebrate a wide spectrum of unsung heroes from across India. The list includes individuals from marginalised communities, primitive tribes and remote regions, highlighting grassroots contributions that often go unnoticed.
This year’s Padma Shri honours reaffirm the spirit of recognising silent service and transformative social impact from across the length and breadth of the country.