CHICAGO, IL (TIP): Tens of families from Chicago suburbs witnessed the felicitation of acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer, guru and 2022 Padma Shri awardee, Dr. G. Padmaja Reddy, at Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago by American Telangana Society(ATS) and Telugu Association of Greater Chicago(TAGC) with the support of TANA, NATA, NATS, NRIVA, NCAIA, IAGC, FIA, TDF and CHITA, on Friday July 8th. Padma Shri award is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India.

The evening started with the president of the Hindu temple, Bhakshish Rawal and entire team welcoming Padma Shri Padmaja Reddy and all the Indian Origin community leaders of prominent Indian associations in Greater Chicago area. The event was Kick started by Kalyan Anandula, Founder Trustee of American Telangana Society(ATS) welcoming all the guests to the event and highlighting the motive behind this felicitation. The classical Kuchipudi performances by students of renowned Kuchipudi gurus Sobha Tammana and Mahalakshmi Varadhan stood spectacular and cherished the audience. Later on, Past-President of ATS, Satya Kandimalla, General Secretary of ATS, Venkat Manthena, President Narender Chemarla, Treasurer Ramchandra Reddy Ade and chairman Karunakar Madhavaram acknowledged and admired  Dr. Padmaja Reddy’s love, sincerity and commitment for promoting arts, most specifically Kuchupudi, by not her just training tens and thousands of students through thousands performances world wide but also for many other reasons that Dr. Padmaja Reddy stood for identifying the challenges of the girl child community challenges from many areas across India and chose to promote to end such challenges via Kuchupudi in her 40 years of vast career, despite no one from her family and friends in the dance field.

Prominent community leaders, TAGC President-Elect Parameswara Reddy Yarasani, Venkat Gunuganti, Ranga Reddy Lenkala, Vinitha Podduturi and several others from the above mentioned NRI community organization felicitated by individually addressing, acknowledging, and emphasizing Dr. Padmaja efforts for her 4 decades of efforts and dedication which was a take home for many youngsters who were present at the event.

The event wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many volunteers.

(Photograph and Press release : Asian Media USA)