Belagavi : Renowned educationist, administrator and community leader Dr. Prabhakar Kore has been selected for the prestigious Padma Shri 2026, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in the category of Education and Literature. The Government of India announced the list of awardees on the eve of Republic Day, recognising individuals whose work has made a significant national impact.
Dr. Kore’s selection adds to Belagavi’s proud Padma legacy. Earlier, veteran actress Sulochana Latkar, born in Belgaum (now Belagavi), had received the Padma Shri in 1999 for her contributions to Indian cinema.
Leaders, educators and citizens across Belagavi and Karnataka have welcomed the announcement, describing the honour as a moment of pride for the region and a recognition of decades of service to education and social development.
Brief Profile: Dr. Prabhakar Kore
Dr. Prabhakar Basavaprabhu Kore, born on 1 August 1947 in Ankali village of Belagavi district, Karnataka, began his professional journey with a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree. Over the decades, he has built a distinguished career spanning education, healthcare, public service and social development.
He is widely known for his transformational leadership of the Karnatak Lingayat Education (KLE) Society, a charitable educational trust headquartered in Belagavi. Since assuming leadership in the mid-1980s, Dr. Kore steered the KLE Society from a limited number of institutions into a vast network of over 300 educational and healthcare institutions, serving more than 1.4 lakh students across schools, technical colleges, medical institutions, universities and research centres.
Dr. Kore also played a key role in establishing the KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER) in Belagavi and KLE Technological University in Hubballi, significantly strengthening access to quality higher and professional education in North Karnataka.
His contributions extend to healthcare through initiatives such as the KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital & Medical Research Centre, which provides multi-specialty medical services, research facilities and subsidised care to thousands of patients in the region.
In public life, Dr. Kore served three terms as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka (1990–1996, 2008–2014 and 2014–2020). During his tenure, he was an active member of several parliamentary committees and consistently advocated policies related to education, healthcare and community welfare.
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