Andhra Pradesh urges Centre to sanction National School of Drama

After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, most art and cultural institutions went to Telangana, leaving the residual State without any major centres. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish such institutes in Andhra Pradesh, said Minister for Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh.​

Minister of Tourism and Culture Kandula Durgesh, NTR District Collector S. Laxmisha and Andhra Pradesh Star Hotels Association president R. V. Swamy at a stall during ‘Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam’ in Vijayawada on Saturday
| Photo Credit:
G.N. Rao

Speaking as the chief guest at Krishnaveni Sangeeta Neerajanam, a programme organised by the Union Ministries of Tourism and Culture, Sangeet Natak Akademi and the State Tourism Department in Vijayawada on December 6 (Saturday), the Minister said that proposals had been sent to the Union government for establishing the National School of Drama in Andhra Pradesh.​

He said that great artistes such as Annamayya, Thyagaraja, Shyama Sastry and Ramadasu should not be forgotten, and that it is the collective responsibility of society to carry forward the State’s classical music and literary heritage to younger generations, who are increasingly influenced by modern lifestyles and popular culture. The State government is making efforts to promote music and art, including puppetry, Harikatha and Burrakatha, among others, he added.​

Additional Director General of the Union Ministry of Tourism Venkatraman Hegde said that around one crore foreign tourists visited India and that their visits brought in about ₹3 lakh crore in revenue. He added that the Union government is committed to promoting tourism in the country.​

The two-day musical festival is being held at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada, where the Minister and other dignitaries also visited handicraft and handloom stalls set up on the premises.​

Among those present were NTR District Collector G. Lakshmisha, Andhra Pradesh Nataka Academy chairperson Gummadi Gopalakrishna, Union Tourism Department Director (South) D. Venkatesan, Culture Department Director R. Mallikarjuna Rao, Andhra Pradesh Star Hotels Association (ASHA) president R.V. Swamy, and several artistes, classical singers and dancers.