Anil Kumar Rastogi
A Lucknow biochemist who spent four decades at CDRI while acting in 100 plays and 70 films, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Anil Kumar Rastogi has lived two careers side by side: one as a research scientist, the other as an actor and theatre director. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of art, from Uttar Pradesh [1].
The scientist
Born on 4 April 1943, Rastogi took a master’s degree in biochemistry from Lucknow University and a PhD in microbiology [2]. He worked at Lucknow’s Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) from 1962 to 2003, retiring as head of its biochemistry department, and co-wrote more than 78 research papers [2]. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India [2].
The actor
His stage career runs to 64 years and around 1,000 performances of 100 plays across India [2]. For 47 years he has led Darpan, a Lucknow amateur theatre group founded in 1961 and one of the oldest in north India [2]. His hundredth play, Beyond the Curtain, was staged in December 2025 [2].
He has also acted in more than 70 feature films, over 500 TV episodes, 14 web series and more than 250 radio plays [2].
Helping patients
Rastogi is president of the Hari Om Sewa Kendra, which for 27 years has supplied free medicines, blood, dialysis kits and transport to poor patients at King George Medical University, along with free stay and meals for their families [2].
His honours include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Uttar Pradesh government’s Yash Bharti award [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Anil Kumar Rastogi — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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