States » SouthPosted at: Oct 31 2026 4:36PM


Three Keralites among 10 recipients of Dr Mangalam Swaminathan National Excellence Awards

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 31 (UNI) Three personalities from Kerala figure among the 10 recipients of the Dr Mangalam Swaminathan National Excellence Awards 2026, announced by the Dr Mangalam Swaminathan Foundation in recognition of their contributions to journalism, science reporting, art and culture, social service and the Indian diaspora.
Each award carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh, a memento and a citation. The foundation received more than 1,000 nominations from across the country in different languages under six categories, which were scrutinised by a panel of experts before finalising the awardees.
Vineetha Venattu, Senior Sub-Editor of Janmabhumi Daily, Kochi, has been selected for the award for Excellence in Journalism in recognition of her contributions to journalism and literature over the past two decades.
Sreedevi G R, Senior Producer at Amrita TV, will receive the award for Excellence in Science Reporting. She is being recognised for her two-decade-long efforts to promote scientific and spiritual awareness through television programmes, including Shreshta Bharatham, Sandhyadeepam, Pradhakshinam, Bharatha Dharshanam and Jeevadhara.
Dr N R Madhu, editor of the national weekly Kesari, has been chosen for the award for Excellence in Exposing Medical Malpractices. He is also known for popularising science through his Science Corner channel, explaining subjects such as space science, quantum physics, Ayurveda, medical science and cosmology, with particular emphasis on India's scientific achievements.
The award for Excellence in Art and Culture will be presented to Mayank Jain, Director of Route Stawk Films Pvt Ltd, and Aswathy V Nair, an accomplished exponent of Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi. Aswathy is the daughter of the late Jnanpith laureate and Padma Vibhushan awardee M T Vasudevan Nair.
Jain is being recognised for his contribution to filmmaking, including the production of feature films such as Crimson Crescent — The Last Quarter, The Bangla Crescent — ISI, Madrasas and Infiltration and India Tomorrow — The Gujarat Miracle.
Three personalities have been selected for the Shri Dattopant Thengadi Seva Samman 2026 for Excellence in Social Service. They are Punjabi singer Gagan Kokri, Anu Susan Varughese, Headmistress of Government Higher Secondary School, Ala, Kerala, and Dr Bhagavan B C, Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka.
Varughese is being honoured for her efforts in reviving the 90-year-old government school at Ala, which was facing the prospect of closure due to declining student strength and competition from private institutions. Through innovative educational initiatives and the active participation of teachers, parents, alumni and community organisations, she transformed the institution into an inclusive and vibrant centre of learning. The school's innovative model received national-level recognition from the NCERT in 2026.
Kokri is being recognised for his initiatives supporting the education and development of Punjab's youth and inspiring them to work towards a drug-free state.
Dr Bhagavan is being honoured for his contribution to the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. In collaboration with the DISHABODH Sustainable Community Development Foundation and the university, he has helped mobilise thousands of young people for campaigns promoting awareness about substance abuse and a drug-free society.
Two awards under the Pravasi Bharatiya category, instituted to recognise the contributions of the Indian diaspora to national life, will go to Rajendran Vellapalath, Founder and CEO of AirBooking.com and IndiaFirst.com and Chairman of the Kerala Pravasi Association, and Benny Mathew of Dubai.
Vellapalath is being recognised for his efforts towards protecting the welfare and rights of expatriate Indians. Under his leadership, the Kerala Pravasi Association has expanded its presence across the state and campaigned for overseas voting rights and affordable air travel between India and Gulf countries.
Mathew is being honoured for his contributions to international business, entrepreneurship and economic development over more than three decades. His role in developing Mirka Middle East into a multi-million-dollar enterprise and strengthening business ties between international companies and the Middle East has been cited by the foundation.
The foundation said this was the ninth edition of the National Excellence Awards. It also runs the Sarvamangalam welfare project, under which 51 families in Kerala affected by political violence receive a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 each. The initiative was launched by then Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at a function in Thiruvananthapuram on October 12, 2022.
The annual award presentation ceremony will be held at the NDMC Convention Centre, Sansad Marg, New Delhi, on November 29 at 1600 hrs.
RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale will be the chief guest, while Swami Anandavanam Bharathi Maharaj, Mahamandaleshwar of Sri Panch Dasnam Juna Akhada, and union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik will attend as guests of honour.
Dr R Balashankar, Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Delhi-based foundation, announced the awardees in a statement on October 31.
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