3 min readPuneMay 23, 2026 10:48 PM ISTRajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni from Pune is among the awardees. (File Photo)Pune’s BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha Medha Kulkarni and Jalgaon MP Smita Uday Wagh are the two women parliamentarians who have been selected for the Sansad Ratna Awards this year.The Jury committee has selected 10 Lok Sabha MPs, 2 Rajya Sabha MPs, and 4 Parliamentary Standing Committees for the Sansad Ratna Awards 2026. Among them are two women including Medha Kulkarni from Pune and Smita Uday Wagh from Jalgaon.“This year we will be presenting the 150th Award in July, “Adv. Priyadharshni Rahul, Chairperson of the Sansad Ratna Awards Committee told The Indian Express.“Jagdambika Pal (Uttar Pradesh), P.P. Chaudhary (Rajasthan), Nishikant Dubey (Jharkhand) and Dr Shrikant Eknath Shinde (Maharashtra) are among the MPs chosen in the individual category,” she added.“Other selected MPs include Praveen Patel (Uttar Pradesh), Bidyut Baran Mahato (Jharkhand), Lumbaram Chaudhary (Rajasthan), Dr Hemant Vishnu Savara (Maharashtra), Smita Uday Wagh (Maharashtra), Naresh Ganpat Mhaske (Maharashtra), Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni (Maharashtra), and Narhari Amin (Gujarat).“They are recognised for their outstanding performance in Parliament up to the end of the Budget Session 2026 under various categories,” Priyadharshni Rahul added. Adv Rahul also highlighteed BJP MP Smita Uday Wagh’s commitment on attending parliamentary proceedings despite battling cancer. “She would complete the chemotherapy session and attend the parliament session,” Adv Rahul said.Four Parliamentary Committees have also won awards for their outstanding performance. These are the Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Dr Charanjit Singh Channi; the Finance Committee, chaired by Bhartruhari Mahtab; the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Committee, chaired by Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka; and the Coal and Mines Committee, chaired by Anurag Thakur. Out of these Award winners, Jagadambika Pal (UP) and Dr Charanjit Singh Channi (Punjab) were former Chief Ministers, and Narhari Amin (Gujarat) was the Deputy Chief Minister.Story continues below this ad“The Sansad Ratna Award was instituted in 2010 by the Chennai-based NGO Prime Point Foundation, on the suggestion of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who himself launched the first event in 2010. Prime Point Foundation has recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary,” K. Srinivasan, widely known as Prime Point Srinivasn who is the Founder and Chairman of Prime Point Foundation and Founder of Sansad Ratna Awards.“An eminent jury of senior award-winning parliamentarians, retired constitutional authorities, and academicians selects the winners. The winners are selected based on the performance data of MPs and committees in Parliament. Data is provided by PRS Legislative Research, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha Secretariats,” Srinivasan added. Over the past 15 Award ceremonies, 143 awards have been presented to MP s and Committees. Every Award recipient has received their award in person. These Awards are presented on behalf of civil society. The 16th Awards Ceremony will take place in New Delhi in July 2026, and the 150th Award will be presented during the event.Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:puneAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement