Hyderabad: In recognition of their outstanding contributions across diverse fields such as science, medicine, arts, research, engineering, and social service, seven eminent personalities from Telangana have been selected for the Padma Shri Awards this year.
Among the awardees is Chandramouli Gaddamanugu, a distinguished scientist and former Project Director at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He devoted over three decades to the development of the Akash missile system, significantly strengthening India’s defence capabilities.
Another prominent scientist, Krishnamurty Balasubramanian, has been honoured for his contributions to science and engineering, particularly in advanced materials and engineering components. He previously led the Nonferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC) in Hyderabad.
In the field of medicine, renowned oncologist Dr Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy, Director and Senior Oncologist at Apollo Cancer Centre, Jubilee Hills, has been named for the prestigious honour. Also receiving the Padma Shri is Dr GV Rao, Director and Chief of Surgical Gastroenterology, GI Oncology, and Minimally Invasive Surgery at AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad.
Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj, a senior scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), has been recognised for his contributions to scientific research. Rama Reddy Mamidi, known for modernising animal husbandry practices in Telangana, has also been selected.
In the field of arts, renowned Kuchipudi dancer Deepika Reddy, a prominent figure in Indian classical dance, has been conferred with the Padma Shri.
Andhra Pradesh Awardees
Apart from Telangana, four individuals from Andhra Pradesh have also been honoured with the Padma Shri awards:
Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad – Art
Garimella Balakrishna Prasad – Art
Maganti Murali Mohan – Art
Vempaty Kutumba Sastry – Literature and Education
The Padma Shri awards are among India’s highest civilian honours, celebrating excellence and distinguished service across various domains.
With the completion of the delimitation exercise, the expanded Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has emerged as the largest municipal corporation in the country.
Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Thursday completed the long-pending reorganisation of GHMC divisions, a move aimed at enhancing governance and improving service delivery across the rapidly expanding metropolitan region.
GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan issued the final notification, formally concluding the division bifurcation and zonal reorganisation process.
Simultaneously, the government released G.O. Ms. No. 292, outlining the newly restructured zones, circles, and divisions under the GHMC framework.
New Governance Architecture for the City
Under the revised administrative framework, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will now operate through 12 zones and 60 circles, replacing the earlier six-zone structure. The reorganisation is aimed at improving administrative efficiency, promoting decentralised decision-making, and enhancing the delivery of civic services across the city.
Previously, GHMC comprised six zones—LB Nagar, Charminar, Serilingampally, Khairatabad, Kukatpally, and Secunderabad. As part of the restructuring, six new zones have been added: Malkajgiri, Uppal, Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Golconda, and Quthbullapur, expanding the governance framework to better manage the city’s growing metropolitan footprint.
Each zone will comprise a minimum of four and a maximum of seven circles, depending on population and geographical spread.
Special Chief Secretary Post Created
In a significant administrative development, the Telangana government has created a new post of Special Chief Secretary, Metropolitan Area and Urban Development (within HMDA limits) to oversee the developmental needs of Hyderabad and the broader metropolitan region.
Senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan has been appointed to the newly created position. The role is expected to provide focused leadership and ensure coordinated planning for urban infrastructure, growth management, and overall metropolitan development within the HMDA jurisdiction.
Zonal Commissioners Appointed
Following the completion of the reorganisation, the Telangana government has appointed IAS officers as Zonal Commissioners for the newly created zones, ensuring that the restructured administrative units become operational without delay.
Zonal Commissioners Appointed
The Telangana government has appointed IAS officers as Zonal Commissioners for all 12 GHMC zones to ensure a smooth transition following the administrative reorganisation.
The newly appointed Zonal Commissioners are:
Bhorkhade Hemant Sahadeorao – Serilingampally
Apurv Chauhan – Kukatpally
Sandeep Kumar Jha – Quthbullapur
S. Srinivas Reddy – Charminar
G. Mukunda Reddy – Golconda
Priyanka Ala – Khairatabad
Anuraag Jayanti – Rajendranagar
N. Ravi Kiran – Secunderabad
K. Chandrakala – Shamshabad
Hemanta Keshav Patil – LB Nagar
Sanchit Gangwar – Malkajgiri
Radhika Gupta – Uppal
Officials stated that the swift appointment of Zonal Commissioners would help maintain continuity in governance and ensure the new administrative units become fully functional without delay.
‘No Disruption to Civic Administration’
GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan said the newly appointed Zonal Commissioners would assume charge immediately. He assured that all necessary arrangements had been made to ensure civic administration and essential public services continue uninterrupted during the transition.
Public Objections Examined
Before finalising the reorganisation, GHMC invited objections and suggestions from the public for nearly two weeks. After reviewing the representations received, authorities revised the boundaries and names of several divisions to address concerns raised by residents and other stakeholders.
Scale of the Reorganisation
Divisions renamed: 30
Divisions with boundary changes: 104
GHMC’s current administrative spread now covers:
Districts (fully/partially): 5
Mandals: 47
Villages: 311
Parliamentary constituencies: 6
Assembly constituencies: 28
“The comprehensive overhaul of GHMC’s administrative structure, along with the creation of a dedicated metropolitan-level leadership post, is expected to strengthen urban governance and support Hyderabad’s rapid growth in the coming years,” Commissioner Karnan said.
The 107th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Late Dr. Marri Channa Reddy Garu — Visionary | Administrator | Statesman | Man of the Masses — were successfully conducted at Dr. M. Channa Reddy Memorial Rock Garden, Indira Park, Hyderabad.
The programme was held with great reverence and public participation, reflecting the enduring legacy of a leader who truly understood the pulse of the people.
🗓 Event Details
📅 Tuesday, 13 January 2026 ⏰ From 9:00 AM onwards 📍 Indira Park – Lower Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad
✨ Programme Highlights
🙏 Bhajans & Floral Tributes were offered in remembrance of the great leader 🌸 Muggula (Rangoli) Competition was beautifully organized, showcasing culture, creativity, and tradition 🤝 Enthusiastic participation from citizens, volunteers, and admirers of Dr. Channa Reddy Garu 🌹 The event echoed his values of public service, leadership, and people-centric governance
The programme was jointly organized by Dr. M. Channa Reddy Memorial Trust, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), with support from Hello Hyderabad and APSA Foundation.
🌹 A leader who lived for the people. A legacy that continues to inspire generations. 🌹
17 Hyderabad Students Build Payload for Upcoming ISRO Launch
The students of Blue Blocks Montessori School have named their payload Project SBB-1 (Satellite Blue Blocks-1), which has now received official clearance from ISRO for launch aboard the PSLV-C62 mission.
Hyderabad: A team of 17 students aged between 12 and 15 from Hyderabad has achieved a remarkable milestone by designing and building a flight-ready CubeSat payload, scheduled for launch aboard an ISRO mission on January 12 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota.
The students of Blue Blocks Montessori School have named their payload Project SBB-1 (Satellite Blue Blocks-1). The project has received official clearance from ISRO and will fly on the PSLV-C62 mission.
Setting their work apart from conventional school-level STEM projects, the students independently designed, assembled, and programmed the CubeSat payload. They used commercial off-the-shelf sensors, soldered electronic components, and developed firmware capable of transmitting real-time telemetry. While experts from Take Me 2 Space offered mentorship and technical guidance, the entire engineering effort—from hardware integration to coding—was carried out by the students themselves..
“Debugging the code when the sensors failed to communicate was the most challenging part. We didn’t want to just witness a launch—we wanted our work to fly on the rocket,” said one of the students.
The project was developed at the Blue Blocks Micro Research Institute using a learning framework known as ‘Structural Autonomy,’ which promotes independent problem-solving with minimal adult supervision. Emphasising the achievement, co-founder Pavan Goyal said, “They are not engineers of the future; they are flight-ready engineers today.”
The Blue Blocks initiative has earned international recognition, with the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo inviting co-founder Pavan Goyal to present the programme’s methodology. In addition, the students are set to deliver a technical review at the AMI Conference in Mexico, showcasing their work on a global stage.
About the PSLV-C62 Mission
The PSLV-C62 mission will carry the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite, along with 15 co-passenger satellites from India and international partners. The mission will also feature a technology demonstration of the Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator (KID), a compact prototype re-entry vehicle developed by a Spanish startup.
ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is regarded as the organisation’s most reliable launch system, having completed 63 successful missions. Its legacy includes landmark launches such as Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1, and Astrosat, and it holds a global record for deploying 104 satellites in a single mission in 2017.
The 101st birth anniversary of Smt. Marri Savitradevi, wife of former united Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy, was celebrated with great devotion and grandeur under the banner of “Sai Anandham” at the Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy Memorial Rock Garden, Indira Park, Hyderabad.
As part of the celebrations, floral tributes were offered to the statue of Savitradevi followed by a cake-cutting ceremony. Her life, values, and commitment to social welfare were fondly remembered, and heartfelt tributes were paid. The event was organized by the CSR Memorial Foundation.
The program was coordinated by Sri K. Krishna Reddy, grandson of Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy and Smt. Savitradevi, and a Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba alumnus (MBA 1992–94 batch).
Sai Anandham – A Celebration of Devotion and Service
The “Sai Anandham” program stood as the highlight of the celebrations, bringing together devotees from various Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithis across Hyderabad, including Tarnaka, Kushaiguda, and Nagaram.
A variety of recreational and cultural activities such as Lemon Spoon, Book on Head, Musical Chairs, Carroms, Chess, and Dadi were organized. Senior citizens enthusiastically participated and expressed immense joy. Winners were felicitated with prizes.
Sai devotees shared their spiritual experiences and long association with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. A photo exhibition depicting Sathya Sai service activities was arranged, and Annadanam was provided to devotees.
The event was graced by distinguished guests including P. V. Subrahmanyam, Meenakshi Devi, I.G. Dora, and Vasudeva Rao.
The Sai Anandham program concluded successfully in an atmosphere filled with devotion, service, and spiritual joy, reflecting the timeless message of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: “Love All – Serve All; Help Ever – Hurt Never.”
On 21st December 2025, I Can Volunteer proudly celebrates six years of compassion, consistency, and community.
Founded by Sheila ma’am, I Can Volunteer began with a simple yet powerful intention — to support children battling cancer and their families during one of the most difficult phases of their lives. What started as a heartfelt initiative has grown into an active and dedicated volunteer network.
Today, I Can Volunteer works across five pediatric cancer care centres in Hyderabad, including:
Ram Dev Rao Cancer Hospital
St. Jude India ChildCare Centres – Somajiguda
St. Jude India ChildCare Centres – Banjara Hills
Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital
Rainbow Children’s Hospital
Six years on, I Can Volunteer continues to stand for showing up where it matters most — with empathy, reliability, and heartfelt service.
As we come together on 21st December 2025 to mark this milestone, we celebrate every volunteer and supporter who has walked this journey with us. Your time, care, and commitment have made a lasting impact on countless young lives and families.
Your time and heart mean everything — come, let us celebrate YOU. ✨
Hyderabad: With memories of violence during football legend Lionel Messi’s programme in Kolkata still fresh, the Hyderabad police have issued a stern warning of stringent action against any misconduct during Messi’s appearance at the city stadium. To ensure smooth conduct, officials have released a detailed minute-by-minute schedule of the evening’s events.
Messi is scheduled to enter the stadium at 7.50 p.m., coinciding with the kick-off of the match. Shortly thereafter, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will enter the pitch, followed by Messi and football stars Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. The dignitaries and players will take a parade walk around the stadium, acknowledging fans, before assembling on a specially erected stage for formal introductions.
At 8.11 p.m., Messi and the Chief Minister will symbolically dribble the ball together, followed by a closely watched penalty shootout—three shots per team—to decide the winner of the specially instituted GOAT Cup.
Rahul Gandhi will then join the dignitaries, players and children for a group photograph. The focus will subsequently shift to the Tiki-Taka Children’s Clinics, scheduled between 8.17 p.m. and 8.32 p.m. During this time, four designated zones will come alive with Messi, Suarez, De Paul, the Chief Minister and Rahul Gandhi interacting with children, passing the ball, offering encouragement and sharing moments on the field. The clinic will culminate in a special penalty shootout with Messi, with organiser Anuttam Reddy donning the goalkeeper’s gloves.
During the felicitation ceremony, Messi will present the GOAT Cup to the winning team, while Rahul Gandhi will hand over the cup to the other participating team. The Chief Minister will honour Messi with a gift and shawl, and Parvathi Reddy along with others will felicitate Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul.
Messi is scheduled to leave the stadium at 9 p.m., bringing the tightly choreographed programme to a close. Officials said the detailed planning leaves no scope for disruptions, underscoring the administration’s focus on safety and order during the high-profile event.
The 58th edition of the Inter-IIT Sports Meet commenced at IIT Hyderabad, Kandi (Sangareddy district) on Sunday, bringing together athletic talent from across the country. The week-long event is witnessing the participation of nearly 2,500 students from 23 IITs, competing across a wide range of sporting disciplines.
The sports meet was inaugurated by Olympian and badminton star Saina Nehwal, who highlighted the importance of fitness and sports in nation-building. She remarked that India’s pride can be shaped not only through world-class research and innovation but also through healthy lifestyles, discipline, and a passion for sports.
“Sport is not just about competitions that last a week; it is about the habits we form every day. Regular workouts and staying active instil discipline, resilience, and focus — qualities as vital as academics and research,” she said.
Also present at the inauguration, India’s Chief Badminton Coach Pullela Gopichand emphasized the need to integrate sports into campus life. He stated that sports play a crucial role in building character, confidence, and discipline, helping shape well-rounded individuals.
The event will be followed by the Inter-IIT Sports Meet for staff, scheduled from December 24 to 29, with over 2,000 participants expected to compete in various categories.
The ceremony was attended by B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIT Hyderabad, and Director B.S. Murty, among other dignitaries.
Telangana has announced plans to play a more active role in the growth and development of India’s North-Eastern States, with IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu unveiling the Telangana–North East Connect (Phase-2) initiative at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The State government is preparing a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen collaboration with the North-East in key sectors, including digital connectivity, technology adoption, entrepreneurship, skill development, life sciences, bio-innovation, and rural transformation. According to the Minister’s office, the plan aims to accelerate mutual growth by leveraging Telangana’s capabilities and the North-East’s emerging potential.
Highlighting the inclusive ethos of Telangana, Mr. Sridhar Babu noted that the North-Eastern States have made remarkable progress in digital literacy, IT skilling, fintech, and public digital services, despite facing infrastructural and connectivity constraints.
As part of Phase-2 of the initiative, Telangana and the North-East will work together on projects such as a North East–Telangana Tech Corridor, joint innovation labs, bio-incubators, creative technology studios, and green-energy collaborations. The Minister emphasised that Telangana’s development strategy is centred on preparing for future technologies, ensuring the State remains ahead of emerging global trends.
HYDERABAD / KURNOOL — In the wake of a devastating bus fire in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, which claimed at least 20 lives, V.C. Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police in Hyderabad, has issued a sharp condemnation of drunk driving, calling those who drive under the influence “terrorists”.
The incident involved a private sleeper bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, which collided with a motorcycle on the highway in the early hours of Friday. The bike, ridden by a man under the influence of alcohol, was reportedly dragged by the bus before his vehicle’s fuel tank ignited, setting off the fire that engulfed the bus and killed the passengers.
In a post on the social media platform X, Mr Sajjanar said: “Drunk drivers are terrorists. Period. Drunk drivers are terrorists and their actions are nothing short of acts of terror on our roads.” He described the Kurnool tragedy not as a mere accident but as “a criminal act of negligence that annihilated entire families within seconds.”
He emphasised that under his jurisdiction there will be no leniency or exception for those caught driving while intoxicated. “Every single person caught driving under the influence will face the full force of law. There will be no mercy for those who endanger innocent lives,” he said.
Investigators have since confirmed that the motorcyclist was driving while drunk and had earlier refuelled his bike just minutes before the crash. The bike’s headlight was found to be non-functional and the rider lost control before the fatal collision.
The bus driver has been arrested in connection with the incident and further investigations are underway into the sequence of events that triggered the blaze
This tragedy has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of laws against driving under the influence and stricter penalties for those who risk public safety on the roads.
