Four people including Sunil Chhetri from two Telugu states conferred Padmasri awards

 Four people from Telugu speaking states including Indian football team player Sunil Chhetri who was born in Secunderabad have been conferred Padmasri. The centre announced the names of Padmasri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan recipients ahead of the Republic Day.

Chess champion Dronavalli Harika, Lyricist Sirivennela Seetharamasastry, agriculturist Venkateshwara Rao Yadlapalli and Sunil Chhetri were awarded the India's highest fourth civilian award.

Among the four, Dronavalli Harika, Sirivennela Seetharamasastry and Venkateshwara Rao were born and brought up in the two Telugu states. While Sunil Chhetri who was born Secunderabad was moved to other states after his father KB Chhetri who had worked in Cantonment with corps of electronic and mechanical engineers got transferred.