Hyderabad, Telangana, 19th of June, 2026 : Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Founder of L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), was presented the SantokBaa Humanitarian Award 2026, in recognition of his contributions to health care. The award is an acknowledgement and appreciation of the thousands of lives transformed with the establishment of the L V Prasad Eye Institute, through compassion, service and leadership.
The SantokBaa Humanitarian Awards were established by Shri Govind Dholakia, Founder Chair Emeritus, Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), the philanthropic arm of Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK) in 2006. For the past two decades, the award has honored selfless service and transformative leadership, carrying forward the legacy of compassion and selfless values embodied by Shri Govind Dholakia’s mother, SantokBaa.
The award ceremony was attended by Mr Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; Mr Harsh Sanghavi, Deputy Chief Minister, Gujarat; Shri C.R. Patil, Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti and several other luminaries.
The recipients are selected by an independent jury comprising distinguished leaders from diverse fields. The jury for the 2026 awards included Shri Govindan Rangarajan, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru; Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, Former Chairman, ISRO; Admiral R. Hari Kumar (Retd.), Former Chief of the Indian Navy; Shri Rishabh Shroff, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas; and Shri Shreyans Dholakia, Entrepreneur and Brand Custodian, SRK.
Talking about the recognition, Dr Gullapalli N. Rao said, “I’m honored to receive this award that represents the values that I have lived my life by – empathy, service, and a commitment to improving lives. I accept it on behalf of the many individuals and institutions who have dedicated themselves to the cause of expanding access to quality eye care. I look forward to my team at LVPEI learning a great deal from Govindkaka and the world-class operational systems of SRK.”
Talking about the awardees, Shri Dholakia said, “The recipients of this year’s award have demonstrated how purpose-driven action can touch millions of lives. Their vision, dedication and service have created lasting impact, and it reminds us that true success is not in personal achievements but in how we uplift those around us”
Over the past 20 years, the SantokBaa Humanitarian Award has honored some of India’s most distinguished humanitarian and social leaders, including Shri Ratan Tata, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Dr. Sudha Murty, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, Shri Shiv Nadar, Dr. Abhay Bang and Dr. Rani Bang, Dr. Verghese Kurien, Shri Kailash Satyarthi, and Shri A.S. Kiran Kumar, among other eminent personalities.
Other recipients were Smt. Reema Nanavaty, Director and Founder Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and Mr Srikant Bolla, Founder of Bollant Industries, an eco-friendly manufacturing company that employs persons with disabilities.
As the SantokBaa Humanitarian Award completed a remarkable 20-year journey, the milestone celebration reaffirmed the enduring importance of empathy, service and purposeful leadership in shaping a better future.
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