Girish Bharadwaj, Bridge Man of India, Dies at 76

Girish Bharadwaj, a Padma Shri awardee known as the “Bridge Man of India”, died at the age of 76 on 7 July 2026 in a private hospital in Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. He was a mechanical engineering graduate from PES College of Engineering in Mandya and had been receiving treatment for a heart-related ailment at KVG Hospital.

Low-cost suspension bridges in India

Girish Bharadwaj spent more than three decades building low-cost suspension bridges in India. He constructed more than 140 bridges, mainly in remote villages of Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Odisha. His bridge designs connected rural settlements with schools, hospitals, markets and government services. He built his first bridge in 1989 across the Payaswini river at Arambur in Dakshina Kannada.

Padma Shri and public recognition

The Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on Girish Bharadwaj in 2017 for contributions to rural infrastructure and social work. He is survived by two sons and a daughter, and his wife Usha had predeceased him.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in India.
• Suspension bridges use cables or chains to support the bridge deck.
• PES College of Engineering is located in Mandya, Karnataka.
• Payaswini is a river in Dakshina Kannada district.