Shining Stars Awards honour toppers in Alluri, Anakapalli districts - The HinduPublished - July 21, 2026 01:03 am IST - PADERU/ANAKAPALLIThe School Education Department on Monday felicitated meritorious students who excelled in the 2026 SSC and Intermediate Public Examinations at separate Shining Stars-2026 award ceremonies held in Alluri Sitarama Raju and Anakapalli districts.In ASR district, the programme was held at the S.R. Sankaran Auditorium in Kummariputtu, Paderu. Joint Collector Tirumani Sri Pooja inaugurated the event along with former Paderu MLA Giddi Eswari and other officials. Addressing students, Ms. Sri Pooja said sustained hard work, dedication and proper planning were the keys to success, while speakers urged students to remain consistent, develop alternative career plans and pursue emerging opportunities.Students from several mandals, including Paderu, Araku Valley, Chintapalli, G.K. Veedhi, Pedabayalu, Ananthagiri, Dumbriguda, G. Madugula, Koyyuru and Munchingiputtu, were honoured for securing top ranks.In Anakapalli, the awards were presented at Pentakota Convention Hall in the presence of district in-charge Minister Kollu Ravindra, Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, Collector Vijaya Krishnan and legislators.Mr. Ravindra said the State government had allocated ₹8.5 crore towards cash incentives and awards for meritorious SSC and Intermediate students across Andhra Pradesh. He said 154 SSC students and 34 Intermediate students from Anakapalli district had been selected for the awards, with girls accounting for the majority in both categories.Awardees received a gold medal, a certificate and a cash incentive of ₹20,000. Speakers also called upon parents and teachers to continue supporting students in pursuing higher education and achieving their career goals.Published - July 21, 2026 01:03 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }