Mallepalli Laxmaiah conferred with C. Subramaniam award

Chairperson of Centre for Dalit Studies (CDS), Mallepalli Laxmaiah, was conferred the C. Subramaniam Award for Community Leadership 2025–26 by the National Foundation for India (NFI) in New Delhi on Monday.

The C. Subramaniam Award recognises leaders who have demonstrated sustained commitment to grassroots empowerment, social justice and inclusive development. Instituted in memory of Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam, the award honours individuals who have strengthened democratic values and community leadership among marginalised communities.

Mallepalli Laxmaiah is a senior public intellectual, writer and social activist with decades of engagement on issues affecting Dalit and tribal communities. As CDS Chairperson, he has worked extensively on research and policy advocacy to promote social equity and accountability in governance. He played a key role in advocating for the effective implementation of the SC/ST Sub-Plan in Telangana and other states, ensuring targeted budget allocations and welfare measures for historically disadvantaged sections.

The award was presented in the presence of Rashmi Singh, IAS, Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Child Rights; Satyanandan Mishra, retired IAS and Chairperson of NFI; Viraj Patnaik, Executive Director, NFI; Sameera, Project Director, NFI; and Paul Divakar of the National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights.