Amaravati, January 26, 2026: The Government of India announced the Padma Awards 2026, with four distinguished individuals from Andhra Pradesh receiving the Padma Shri for their outstanding contributions.
Veteran actors Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad and Maganti Murali Mohan earned recognition in the Art category for their long careers in Telugu cinema. Rajendra Prasad, known for his versatility across more than 240 films over nearly five decades, has entertained generations with memorable roles.
Murali Mohan, with over 350 films in six decades, also stood out for his social welfare work. Garimella Balakrishna Prasad received the honour posthumously for his pioneering efforts in classical music, particularly popularising Annamacharya's compositions through thousands of concerts and new ragas.
Vempaty Kutumba Sastry was recognised in Literature and Education for advancing Sanskrit studies nationally and internationally over five decades.
