Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday attended the Sankranti Celebrations organised by Swarna Bharat Trust in Hyderabad on Thursday and conferred 'Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service' on Gutta Muniratnam.Eminent Agricultural Scientist M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker, Gutta Muniratnam were respectively chosen as the first recipients of 'Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence' and 'Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service''.The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation, while the one for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust.Swaminathan was awarded for his distinguished contributions to the field of agriculture while Muniratnam, was awarded for his extraordinary contribution in improving the quality of people's lives through social service.A plant geneticist by training, Professor Swaminathan's contributions to the agricultural renaissance of India have led to him being widely referred .
