India, June 28 -- A Padma Shri at 83 has left scientist-actor Anil Rastogi overwhelmed with gratitude, calling it a moment he never dared to imagine. "It's truly a very big honour," says Rastogi, adding, "Before me, from Lucknow, late Raj Bisaria Saheb had received this award in the theatre field in 1991, and he was my guru." Recalling the pride of receiving the honour from the President alongside top Indian leadership at a ceremony, held on June 23, the veteran actor says, "Getting it from the President (Droupadi Murmu) in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah (Union Home Minister), other dignitaries and my wife Sudha Rastogi (ex-teacher) in the audience filled me with pride." A rare personality who has balanced science and cinema with equal commitment, Rastogi has worked at the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). "This year, for the first time, three people from CSIR received the Padma Shri-two in science and myself in art," he says, adding, "Our CSIR director general N Kalaiselvi also felicitated me in Delhi." He is also a fellow of both the UP Sangeet Natak Akademi and the National Academy of Sciences. "This was my second award from the President. I received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2024, but that was at Vigyan Bhawan. This time, receiving this civilian honour at the Ganatantra Mandap at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was a very proud moment."...