IndianGaurav

Heroes from Andhra Pradesh

People from the state of Andhra Pradesh whose work we have profiled.

Showing 1–24 of 25 heroes

AN

Abbareddy Nageswara Rao

An orchid scientist who has described 35 orchid species new to science from India's Northeast, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
CV

Chintalapati Venkatapathi Raju

An Etikoppaka toymaker who revived lacquered wooden toys coloured with natural, lead-free dyes, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
Portrait of Chiranjeevi

Chiranjeevi

A Telugu film star with 155 films over 45 years whose charitable trust runs blood and eye banks, honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2024.

  • Padma Vibhushan 2024
  • Andhra Pradesh
DU

D. Umamaheswari

A Harikatha storyteller in Telugu and Sanskrit, known as the first woman to perform it in Sanskrit, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

  • Padma Shri 2024
  • Andhra Pradesh
GN

Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara

A chemist known for work on DNA analogues and the founding director of IISER Pune and IISER Tirupati, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
GB

Garimella Balakrishna Prasad

A Carnatic singer and composer who set more than 1,000 Annamacharya hymns to music for TTD, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026 (posthumous)
  • Andhra Pradesh
Gosaveedu Shaik Hassan with his nadaswaram

Gosaveedu Shaik Hassan

A nadaswaram player who served the Bhadrachalam temple for 46 years, and a freedom fighter, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2022.

  • Padma Shri 2022 (posthumous)
  • Andhra Pradesh
President Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Shri to K.L. Krishna at Rashtrapati Bhavan

K.L. Krishna

An econometrician who taught at the Delhi School of Economics for half a century and led India's productivity research, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Andhra Pradesh
KS

Kota Satchidananda Sastry

A Harikatha storyteller from Andhra Pradesh who has performed since 1946, giving over 15,000 shows, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
MM

M M Keeravaani

The film composer behind Baahubali and RRR, whose song 'Naatu Naatu' won the Golden Globe and the Oscar, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
Portrait of M. Venkaiah Naidu

M. Venkaiah Naidu

A political leader for five decades and Vice-President of India from 2017 to 2022, honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2024.

  • Padma Vibhushan 2024
  • Andhra Pradesh
Madugula Nagaphani Sarma speaking at a discourse

Madugula Nagaphani Sarma

A Sanskrit and Telugu poet who revived avadhanam, verse composed on the spot, with over 2,000 performances, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Andhra Pradesh
MA

Miriyala Apparao

A Burrakatha storyteller from East Godavari who performed for 53 years and trained 200 students, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025 (posthumous)
  • Andhra Pradesh
MM

Murali Mohan

A Telugu actor of over 350 films who founded the Jayabheri group and served as MP for Rajahmundry, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026
  • Andhra Pradesh
President Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Bhushan to Nandamuri Balakrishna at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Nandamuri Balakrishna

A Telugu film star with a career of five decades who chairs Hyderabad's Basavatarakam cancer hospital, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.

  • Padma Bhushan 2025
  • Andhra Pradesh
Portrait of Narasimha Rao Garikapati

Narasimha Rao Garikapati

A Telugu scholar, orator and avadhani known for the epic poem Sagaraghosha and thousands of lectures, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.

  • Padma Shri 2022
  • Andhra Pradesh
NS

Nidumolu Sumathi

A mridangam player, the only woman in All India Radio's top grade, who accompanied M. S. Subbulakshmi, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Andhra Pradesh
PA

Prakasarao Asavadi

A Telugu poet and ashtavadhani from Penukonda who wrote 60 books and gave avadhanams across India, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Andhra Pradesh
President Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Shri to Prakash Chandra Sood at Rashtrapati Bhavan, 2023

Prakash Chandra Sood

A nuclear physicist who set up BHU's first accelerator lab and computer centre and helped build two national centres, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
President Droupadi Murmu presenting the Padma Shri to Rajendra Prasad at Rashtrapati Bhavan, 2026

Rajendra Prasad

A Telugu film actor known for comedy and family films, with more than 286 films over four decades and eight Nandi awards, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2026
  • Andhra Pradesh
RS

Rama Swamy Annavarapu

A Vijayawada Carnatic violinist who accompanied the great singers of his age and taught students free for seven decades, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

  • Padma Shri 2021
  • Andhra Pradesh
SC

Sankurathri Chandra Sekhar

A scientist who lost his family in the 1985 Air India bombing and built schools and eye hospitals in Kakinada, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

  • Padma Shri 2023
  • Andhra Pradesh
SV

Sunkara Venkata Adinarayana Rao

A Visakhapatnam surgeon who did free corrective surgery for polio patients for decades, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022. He died in 2026.

  • Padma Shri 2022
  • Andhra Pradesh
VP

V.R. Panchamukhi

An economist who founded the RIS think tank and chaired ICSSR, and a Sanskrit scholar, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

  • Padma Shri 2025
  • Andhra Pradesh