Tourism Minister pays rich tributes to Gidugu Ramamurthy Panthulu on his 162nd birth anniversary

Recalling the immense contribution of Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy Panthulu to the promotion of colloquial Telugu, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh paid rich tributes to the literary luminary on his 162nd birth anniversary. A State-level programme was organised at the VMRDA Children’s Arena here on Friday to mark ‘Telugu Bhasha Dinotsavam’.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister highlighted that Gidugu Ramamurthy had simplified Telugu literature with his writings in the language spoken by the common man, thereby promoting Telugu across the State. He said the alliance government had revived the tradition of felicitating those who had made significant contributions to Telugu literature. Recalling last year’s celebrations, he noted that several individuals had been honoured for their efforts in promoting the language.

The Minister announced that the ‘Nandi Natakotsavams’ would be held in November or December this year. He alleged that the previous government had neglected Telugu language and culture during its tenure and called for renewed efforts to promote the language.

Mr. Durgesh also paid tribute to Gidugu Ramamurthy, Gurajada Appa Rao, and Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu, collectively known as the ‘trinity of modern writers’, hailing from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Rajamahendravaram respectively. He emphasised that while learning English was essential in the modern era, it was equally important to learn and preserve Telugu. He reaffirmed the alliance government’s commitment to imparting primary education in the mother tongue to enhance students’ comprehension skills, alongside English education to prepare them for global competition.

During the programme, the Minister felicitated the recipients of the Gidugu Ramamurthy Panthulu Awards, selected by the Telugu Bhasha Puraskara Committee. Each awardee received a cash prize of ₹25,000 and a memento. He commended the 14 recipients for their outstanding contributions to art and literature.

Special Chief Secretary (Tourism and Culture) Ajay Jain, MLA Mandali Buddha Prasad, and officials from various departments also participated in the event.