Padma Shri awardee Girish Bharadwaj, popularly known as the “Bridge Man of India,” passed away on 7 July 2026 at the age of 76 in a private hospital in Sullia, Karnataka, after battling a heart-related illness.
A mechanical engineering graduate from PES College of Engineering, Mandya, Bharadwaj dedicated over three decades to improving rural connectivity by constructing more than 140 low-cost suspension bridges across Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Odisha. His innovative bridge designs connected remote villages with schools, hospitals, markets, and essential government services, transforming the lives of thousands of rural residents.
He built his first suspension bridge in 1989 across the Payaswini River at Arambur in Dakshina Kannada, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey in affordable rural infrastructure.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to rural development and social service, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on him in 2017. His pioneering work earned him nationwide admiration and the title “Bridge Man of India.”
Girish Bharadwaj’s legacy lives on through the hundreds of communities connected by his bridges, making him an enduring symbol of engineering innovation and grassroots development in India.
