Telugu compulsory in schools

HYDERABAD: The exemption on learning Telugu compulsorily will not be available in schools from this academic year as the school education department has decided to do away with it.

A recent order from the director of government examinations had said that Special English as a second language option in state board schools will be scrapped and Telugu will be made compulsory following the three language formula that was to be implemented through GO 86 of 2003.

In the fresh orders, that were taken from the original GO, the director of government examinations said, he will not be conducting the examination for Special English in SSC public examinations of March, 2008.

The choice has now been narrowed down to: If the first language option is Telugu, the second language has to be Hindi and vice versa.

However, at the time of formulating the GO, a clause no. 7 was included, which stated that those whose mother tongue is not Telugu or who have been transferred here from other states, can be exempted from taking Telugu as second language. But this option is no longer available as part of implementing the three-language formula from this year, the only other language they can learn as second language is Hindi, which is already their first language.

And now, according to director, school education, S Balasubramanyam, this year, not only will there be no Special English, students will also not be given the exemption from learning Telugu.

“The exemption has to be sought afresh every year and this year such an application will not be accepted. No exemptions will be given and all those writing class X will have to learn and write their Telugu examination,” Balasubramanyam said.

According to the director, the GO has been implemented in a phased manner since 2003. Students in class X now were informed that by 2008, Telugu will be made compulsory for all. “They should have started learning Telugu from then. As of now, there is no backing down on making Telugu compulsory,” he said.

Courtesy: TOI

Nannaya impediment for classical language status to Telugu?

Those opposing the move point to the ‘Adikavi’ title conferred on Nannaya, for giving credence to their claim that Telugu is less than 1,000 years old

Nannaya

HYDERABAD: There may be several reasons for the delay in according classical language status to Telugu. And one will surely be surprised if ఆదికవి (Adikavi) (the first poet) title conferred on Nannaya, who is said to have commenced translation of the epic Mahabharata into Telugu, has become one of the impediments.

But this is true, going by the State Official Language Commission Chairman A.B.K. Prasad. It is mandatory for a language to have written texts in existence for at least 1,000 years for securing classical language status.

Those opposing this status to Telugu are now pointing to the ‘Adikavi’ title conferred on Nannaya, the 11th century poet, for giving credence to their claim that Telugu is less than 1,000 years old.

“It is difficult to pinpoint the exact date of origin of a language and the conferment of the title on Nannaya appears to have become their own fault.

Excavations

Classical language status is being denied to Telugu despite archaeological excavations at Kotilingala and other places revealing coins more than 2,200 years old, bearing the traces of language in its evolutionary stages,” Mr. Prasad said.

He was participating in a round table on classical language status to Telugu organised by the CPI State council here on Wednesday.

Speakers including CPI MP Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, BJP State general secretary K. Lakshman, CPI (M) representative T. Ravi, Potti Sriramulu Telugu University Vice-Chancellor A. Manjulata and others expressed concern over the delay in according classical language status to Telugu and wanted political parties other organisations to emulate Tamil Nadu to put up a united struggle and mount pressure on the Centre.

Courtesy: The Hindu

తెలుగుకు ప్రాచీనహోదాకై ఉద్యమించనున్న వామపక్షాలు

హైదరాబాద్‌, జూన్‌ 27 : భూపోరాటాలతో రాష్ట్రంలో ఉద్యమ వేడిని రగిల్చిన వామపక్షాలు...తెలుగుకు ప్రాచీన హోదా కల్పించటం కోసం కూడా ప్రత్యేక పోరాటాన్ని చేయాలని నిర్ణయించాయి. అన్ని పక్షాల సహకారంతో ఉద్యమాన్ని సాగించాలని నిర్ణయించాయి. ఇందులో భాగంగా సీపీఐ రాష్ట్రశాఖ ఈరోజు ఇదే అంశంపై హైదరాబాద్‌లోని పార్టీ కార్యాలయంలో అన్ని రాజకీయపక్షాలతో రౌండ్‌టేబుల్‌ సమావేశం నిర్వహిస్తోంది. ఇందులో పాల్గొనేందుకు కాంగ్రెస్‌, టీడీపీ, తెరాస, సీపీఎం, లోక్‌సత్తా సంసిద్ధతను వ్యక్తం చేశాయి.

Courtesy: ఈనాడు
Telugu classical language ancient status Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad

Vizag: VUDA looking to tune into Telugu

Planning ‘Telugu Bhasha Vignana Vikasam’

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) is starting a programme తెలుగు భాష విజ్ఞాన వికాసం (Telugu Bhasha Vignana Vikasam) to help in the development of Telugu and to increase people’s interest and taste.

“Many programmes will be part of Telugu Bhasha Vignana Vikasam to highlight Telugu, its history, culture and heritage”, said VUDA Vice-Chairman G. Venkatram Reddy here on Tuesday. The Telugu Bhasha Vignana Vikasam would be inaugurated at the Gurajada Kalakshetram on Sunday evening (June 24).

The Vikasam’s aim was to provide huge publicity to all aspects, right from studying Pedda Balasiksha, to life histories of famous Telugu personalities, and unique features of the language like its literature, music, dance and గద్యం (Gadyam) and పద్యం (Padyam). Training classes would be conducted age-wise to explain the Pedda Balasiksha, the Vemana and Sumati Satakams, Panchatantra stories and important chapters of the epics.

Qualified teachers

The classes would be conducted by Telugu teachers and pundits along with speakers at the VUDA Children’s Theatre from 9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on every Sunday.

The Praja Spandana and the Creative Comedy Club would extend their help in conducting the programmes.

On every second Saturday, a programme called తెలుగు వారి ఆట, మాట, పాట (Telugu Vaari Aata, Maata, Paata) will be held during which Kuchipudi dance and instrument music concerts would be conducted.

Noted Telugu literary personalities would deliver lectures.

VUDA invited Telugu teachers and others to conduct the classes at VUDA Children’s Theatre.

Courtesy: The Hindu

World Telugu Writers' meet from August 10

HYDERABAD: The three-day first World Telugu Writers Conference will be held from August 10 in Vijayawada.

Animal Husbandry Minister Mandali Buddha Prasad, who is the honorary president of Krishna District Writers Association, which is organising the mega event told reporters that more than 2,000 delegates including 150 Telugu writers from abroad would participate.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Airtel introduces SMS service in Telugu

Hyderabad, June 8 (PTI): Airtel has introduced SMS option in Telugu for its customers in Andhra Pradesh.

The new service option is aimed at addressing the need of customers to communicate with their near and dear ones in their mother tongue, Bharat Airtel Ltd., Andhra Pradesh circle Chief Executive Officer, T Elango, told reporters today.

"It would be very relevant and handy for all customers who choose to communicate with each other in Telugu," he added.

To avail this service, Airtel customers need to download and activate a free-of-cost application on to their handset through 'Airtel Live', the company's entertainment portal.

Due to the unique key-entry and rendering mechanism in this application, customers can conveniently type an SMS in Telugu, Elango explained.

This service also has a one touch help function, which provides a guide on how to use the english and numeric keyboard to type Telugu letters.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Need of the hour is Narayanayya's therapy

SESSION IS ON: B. Muralidhar (extreme right) reading out from Nemali Nara to an audience at the Kala Ashram in Adilabad.

ADILABAD: Serious writers tend to reflect society's anxieties as has been done by B. Muralidhar of Adilabad through his prize-winning short story నెమలి నర (Nemali Nara) (Telugu name of a commonly found tree with medicinal value in Adilabad).

The concern over extinction of knowledge of old forms like the system of medicine is weaved intricately into the story of Narayanayya who straddles the old and the new generations. Narayanayya is a `vaidyudu' in the older mould whose three sons do not take even the least interest in his profession. When time comes for division of property, all the medicinal trees grown by the father are felled by the sons.

Eventually, a day comes when one of the son who is in dire need of Nemali Nara tree for treating his only bull, realises his mistake on not finding even a single tree. The realisation of the loss certainly dawns upon the sons but it fails to save the life of the bull. "The present generation tends to ignore such knowledge. The loss of such knowledge can lead to critical situations. I have tried to depict the connected horrors through the life of Narayanayya," said Muralidhar, who is an Agriculture Extension Officer.

Nemali Nara, written in local dialectic Telugu, has won the Vattikota Alwaraswamy Memorial Prize for 2006 instituted by the Manjira Rachayitala Sangham. The story was first published in Navya magazine and subsequently in తెలుగు పలుకు (Telugu Paluku) magazine of Telugu Association of North America (TANA) in Telangana Katha and Katha in 2005.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Andhra Pradesh Government urged to create ministry for promoting Telugu

Purandareswari promises to strive for getting classical status for Telugu

CHENNAI: The three-day All-India Telugu Conference concluded here on Sunday, urging the Andhra Pradesh Government to create a ministry for preserving and promoting Telugu culture and language and to deal with the problems of Telugus living outside the State.

Thanking Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy for promising to constitute a House committee for taking up the problems of Telugus in the neighbouring States with their Governments, the conference appealed to him to speed up the process. It also urged him to take up with the Centre the issue of the classical status for Telugu.

BEd course through distance education with Telugu methodology was another issue the conference mooted to benefit Telugus.

The meeting urged the Government to pressure the neighbouring States to fill the vacancies for Telugu teachers.

At the valedictory function, Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandareswari, responding to a resolution, said she would make all efforts to get the classical language status for the Telugu. The problems of Telugus living in other States would also be taken up.

She released a souvenir brought out by the తెలుగు వాణి (Telugu Vaani)

`Tolkappiyam' in Telugu

The Potti Sriramulu Telugu University released one of its prestigious publications, `Tolkappiyam,' in Telugu to facilitate comparative studies in the two Dravidian languages, Tamil and Telugu.

The translation was done by Chippada Savithri, a special research fellow at the Telugu Chair of Tamil University, Thanjavur.

She was entrusted with the work in 1998, and she handed over the draft copy to the Telugu University in 2003.

The 335-page book, priced at Rs.85, was released by Tamil University Vice-Chancellor C. Subrahmanyam.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Telugu words in Hebrew literature

Miss Samyuktha Kooniah's research work was published by me, with her permission, last year.

http://www.telugutanam.com/telmunlanguage.htm

I am now happy to see that she got an opportunity to talk about her work at the All India Telugu Conference, 2007.

*****

A 1794 BC stone tablet established that the Sumerian-Assyrian culture had its roots in Andhra Pradesh

Samyuktha Koonaiah

CHENNAI: In a path-breaking revelation, a young research scholar of Potti Sriramulu Telugu University has come out with recorded evidence linking Telugus and Israelis on the basis of Telugu words found in Hebrew literature.

The disclosure was made by Samyuktha Koonaiah in her presentation at a seminar on `Telugu History and Culture' on the concluding day of the three-day All India Telugu Conference here on Sunday. She quoted epigraphic evidence traced from Bahrain in support of her argument.

Ms. Samyuktha, who is doing her research on `Andhra Pradesh - The missing link - Tilmun language and Telugu', said a 1794 BC stone tablet established that the Sumerian-Assyrian culture had its roots in Andhra Pradesh.

Interesting revelations

In fact, an article titled `The Seafaring Merchants of Ur' published in the American Oriental Society in1954 by A. L. Oppenheim contains several Telugu words to prove that Abraham migrated from the `land of darkness', the `Andhaka Desa' as the Andhra region was known in the past, she said.

Research findings suggest that `Barbar' or `Barbaras', a native tribe living in the south of the Vindhyas was a common name in Assyrian culture. An earliest instance of calling children `Bullutu' was similar to that of the Telugu usage Bulli, Bullodu etc, she said. Another `provincial spelling' in Telmun literature and references to Sumero-Akkadian vocabularies contain this sentence `ni imta ha-is' similar to that of `nee intiki vachchi' (come to my home).

Letter on tablet

A stone tablet also contained a letter from a seafarer to a local trader demanding to know why he did not sell a particular commodity at a price agreed upon and why it was not weighed properly too.

Old Babylonian legal documents which were unearthed by archaeologists contain evidence of this letter belonging to one member of the Guild of Dilmun, Ea-Nasir. One of its lines when pronounced in Telugu becomes "ayya adhi annakimmani, tusi (tuchi) immani, maaki antundhi" (something to the effect `I have asked you to give it to my brother after weighing'. It was a deal about copper ingots.

Telling proof

Quoting several such examples Ms. Samyuktha said there was sufficient proof to link those Sumerian cultures with the Telugus. Hebrew, Sumerian and Assyrian records abound in such descriptions and suggest that the present Israelis belonged to Andhra Pradesh.

Ms. Samyuktha argues that Kamakur village in Balayapalli mandal of Nellore district still has 21 Jewish families. Only they are not even aware that they are Jews. She is one among them and her first name Kooniah could be found in Hebrew as Koni, she says.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Hebrew University to introduce Telugu courses from this year

Telugu varsity plans courses and chairs in foreign countries

• Decision a culmination of efforts by Telugu University
• All-India Telugu Conference begins in Chennai

SCRIPTING PROGRESS: Telugu University Vice-Chancellor Avula Manjulatha addressing the delegates at the All-India Telugu Conference in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: Hebrew University based in Tel Aviv, Israel, plans to introduce a Telugu course from the coming academic year, according to Avula Manjulatha, Vice-Chancellor of Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.

Addressing the delegates on the second day of the All-India Telugu Conference here on Saturday, she said this decision was a culmination of months of efforts by the Telugu University. She said there were plans to introduce Telugu courses or establish Telugu chairs in universities across the globe.

Ms. Manjulatha said the Hebrew University had sent a communication recently indicating its willingness to start the Telugu course but with the condition that the expenses for the first five years, should be met by Andhra Pradesh.

She assured delegates from States other than Andhra Pradesh that the university would discuss the modalities of establishing a united forum to promote Telugu culture and art in their States. She also offered to look into the demand for releasing Telugu teaching books in simpler language for their benefit.

Delegates from Mauritius, Malaysia, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, New Delhi, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Karnataka explained the need to impress upon States bordering Andhra Pradesh to honour their commitment to preserve and promote Telugu language and culture.

Malaysian Telugu Association President, Atchayya Kumar, complained that Tamils in his country were systematically harming the interests of Telugu language. Even in temples, priests were being forced to avoid use of Telugu in the rituals, he alleged.

Memorial award

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Animal Husbandry Mandali Buddha Prasad lamented the neglect of Telugu in the State itself. Announcing the institution of Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao memorial award in name of his father to Telugus promoting the language and culture, he said the first award would go to M. Sominayudu of Malaysia.

C. Narayana Reddy, Jnanpeeth Awardee, urged the Government to act quickly in talking to the neighbouring Governments to protect the interests of Telugus.

A `kavi sammelanam' followed in which a two-minute silence was observed in memory of Gunturu Seshendra Sharma, Mallampalli Sharabhaiah and Vasireddy Seeta Devi, who passed away recently.

Courtesy: The Hindu

పరభాషానుబంధం.. అదే తేట తెలుగు మకరందం

ఆంధ్ర భాషా వైభవాన్ని చాటిన సదస్సు

చెన్నై, జూన్‌ 2 (న్యూస్‌టుడే): పొరుగనున్న తమిళనాటే కాదు పరిసరాల్లోని కర్ణాటక, ఒరిస్సా, మహారాష్ట్రల్లో తెలుగు ప్రాభవాన్ని, ఆయా రాష్ట్రాల భాషలతో మన భాషకున్న సంబంధాలను విడమర్చి చెప్పింది తెలుగు సదస్సు. ఆయా రాష్ట్రాలలో తెలుగు భాషపై అధ్యయనం సాగించిన వారు ఒకే వేదికపై నుంచి నలుమూలలా విస్తరించిన తెలుగు వైభవాన్ని కళ్లకు కట్టారు. తెలుగు భాష గొప్పదనాన్ని వివరిస్తూ దాని ఉనికిని కాపాడేందుకు కృషిచేయాల్సిన అవసరాన్ని గుర్తుచేస్తూ ఈ సదస్సు సాగింది. అయిదో అఖిల భారత తెలుగు మహాసభల్లో భాగంగా శనివారం ఇక్కడి కామరాజర్‌ అరంగంలో తెలుగు - ఇతర భారతీయ భాషలతో సంబంధాలు అనే అంశంపై చర్చజరిగింది. పొట్టి శ్రీరాములు తెలుగు విశ్వవిద్యాలయం నిర్వహణ మండలి సభ్యులు సి.ధర్మారావు అధ్యక్షతన జరిగిన ఈ సదస్సును చెన్నై రాజధాని కళాశాల విశ్రాంతాచార్యులు దేవెళ్ల చిన్నికృష్ణయ్య ప్రారంభించారు. చిదంబరం అన్నామలై విశ్వవిద్యాలయం విశ్రాంతాచార్యులు పీఎస్‌ సుబ్రహ్మణ్యం అధ్యక్షత వహించారు.

తమిళ సాహిత్యాన్ని సుసంపన్నం చేసిన తెలుగు సాహిత్యం
తమిళ సాహిత్యాన్ని తెలుగు సాహిత్యం సుసంపన్నం చేసిందని మదురై కామరాజర్‌ విశ్వవిద్యాలయం తెలుగు తులనాత్మక అధ్యయన శాఖకు చెందిన ఆచార్య ఎస్‌.జయప్రకాష్‌ పేర్కొన్నారు. తెలుగు, తమిళ సంబంధాలు అనే అంశంపై ఆయన ప్రసంగిస్తూ తమిళ, తెలుగు భాషలు ఒకేసారి వచ్చినప్పటికీ తమిళం మాత్రమే ప్రాచీన భాష ఎలా అయిందో అర్ధం కావడం లేదన్నారు. తెలుగు వారి ప్రస్తావన తమిళ ప్రాచీన భాషలో కన్పిస్తుంది. ఆధునిక తమిళ నాటక రంగాన్ని కూడా తెలుగు భాష ప్రభావితం చేసింది. వైష్ణవ సాహిత్యాన్ని తెలుగువారే కాపాడారు. తమిళనాడులోని పలు ఆలయాల్లో తెలుగు శిల్పాలు ఉండటం ఇందుకు నిదర్శనమని తెలిపారు.

తెలుగుతో కన్నడ బంధం విడదీయలేనిది
తెలుగు భాషతో కన్నడ భాష సంబంధాలు విడదీయలేనివని బెంగుళూరు విశ్వవిద్యాలయం తెలుగు శాఖకు చెందిన ఆచార్య జీఎస్‌ మోహన్‌ అన్నారు. తెలుగు కన్నడ సంబంధాల అంశంపై ఆయన ప్రసంగిస్తూ శాతవాహన కాలం నుంచి తెలుగు, కన్నడ భాషల మధ్య సంబంధాలున్నాయని గుర్తుచేశారు. లిపిలో కూడా రెండు భాషల మధ్య సాన్నిహిత్యం, అక్షరాలు ఒకటిగానే ఉండటం వల్ల కన్నడ భాషా ప్రభావం తెలుగుపై, తెలుగు భాషా ప్రభావం కన్నడంపై ఉందని పేర్కొన్నారు. ఈ రెండు భాషలు మాట్లాడే వారి మధ్య ఆచార వ్యవహారాల్లోనూ సంబంధం ఉందన్నారు.

తెలుగు ప్రభావం ఒరియాపై ఉంది
తెలుగు భాష ప్రభావం ఒరియా భాషపై ఉందని బరంపుర కళ్ళికోట కళాశాల రిటైర్ట్‌ రీడర్‌ చాగంటి తులసి తెలిపారు. తెలుగు-ఒరియా సంబంధాల అంశంపై ఆమె మాట్లాడుతూ ఒరియా భాషపై తెలుగు భాష ప్రభావం ఒకప్పుడు తక్కువగా ఉన్నప్పటికీ క్రమేణా ఈ ప్రభావం పెరిగేందుకు సంస్థానాల ప్రభువులు కీలక పాత్ర పోషించారు. రెండు భాషల మధ్య లిపిలో పోలిక ఉన్నప్పటికీ ఉచ్ఛారణలో తేడా కనిపిస్తుందని పేర్కొన్నారు.

మరాఠీతో సంబంధాలకు బాబ్లీ అడ్డుకాదు
బాబ్లీ ప్రాజెక్టు నిర్మాణం వల్ల మరాఠీతో తెలుగు భాషకున్న సంబంధాలు విడిపోవని హైదరాబాద్‌ ఉస్మానియా విశ్వవిద్యాలయం తెలుగు శాఖకు చెందిన ఆచార్య మసన చెన్నప్ప పేర్కొన్నారు. తెలుగు మరాఠీ సంబంధాల అంశం గురించి ఆయన మాట్లాడుతూ మహారాష్ట్రలో 1.30 కోట్ల మంది తెలుగువారున్నారు. మరాఠీతో తెలుగుకు సంబంధాలున్నాయి. మరాఠీ నాటకాల్లో తెలుగు సూత్రధారులు కన్పిస్తారని తెలిపారు.

చెన్నైలో తెలుగుకు విలక్షణ పదాలు
చెన్నై నగరంలో తెలుగు భాషలో విలక్షణ పదాలున్నాయని గూడూరులోని దువ్వురి రమణమ్మ మహిళా కళాశాల ప్రిన్సిపాల్‌ డాక్టర్‌ కె.మెహర్మణి పేర్కొన్నారు. చెన్నపట్నం తెలుగు - తమిళభాషా ప్రభావం అంశంపై ఆమె మాట్లాడుతూ చెన్నైలో సినీ వ్యాపార, వైద్య రంగాల్లో తెలుగు వారు రాణిస్తున్నారు. మద్రాసులో అనేకమంది తెలుగువారు తమిళులుగానే స్థిరపడ్డారు. భాషతోపాటు ఆచారాలు, సంప్రదాయాల్లో కూడా ఒకే విధానం కనిపిస్తుందని తెలిపారు.

తెలుగు ప్రాచీన మూలాలను వెలికి తీయాలి
తెలుగు భాష ప్రాచీన మూలాలను వెలికి తీసేందుకు ప్రయత్నాలను ప్రారంభించాలని తెలుగు భాషోద్యమ తమిళనాడు శాఖ కార్యదర్శి స.వెం.రమేష్‌ పేర్కొన్నారు. తమిళనాడులోని తెలుగు మూలాలు-సంస్కృతి అనే అంశంపై ఆయన మాట్లాడుతూ తమిళనాట 42 శాతం మంది తెలుగువారుంటే వీరిలో 40 శాతం మంది ఇక్కడి వారే కాగా కేవలం రెండు శాతం మంది మాత్రమే ఉద్యోగ రీత్యా, వ్యాపారరీత్యా చెన్నైకి వలస వచ్చిన వారన్నారు. ఇక్కడున్న తెలుగువారిలో 90 శాతం మంది తెలుగులోనే మాట్లాడుతారు. శ్రీకృష్ణదేవరాయల కాలంలో తెలుగువారు ఇక్కడికి వలస వచ్చారనేది వాస్తవంకాదు. అప్పుడు వలస వచ్చిన వారు తక్కువే. తమిళ గడ్డపై గతంలో తెలుగువారు పరిపాలన సాగించారు. ద్రవిడ భాషల్లో ఏ భాషకు లేని జానపద సంపద మన తెలుగుకి ఉందని తెలుగు పుట్టుపూర్వోత్తరాలను ఆయన వివరించారు.

Courtesy: ఈనాడు
2007 Telugu conference Chennai Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh classical ancient language status Kannada Marathi Oriya Eenadu June

Ministry to promote Telugu culture, language mooted

CHENNAI: The three-day All-India Telugu Conference concluded here on Sunday with a resolution urging the Andhra Pradesh Government to create a ministry for preserving and promoting Telugu culture and language and to deal with the problems of Telugus living outside the State.

While thanking Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy for assuring to constitute a House committee for taking up the problems of Telugus in neighbouring States with their Governments, the conference appealed to him to speed up the process. It also urged him to take up with the Centre, the issue of classical status for Telugu.

BEd course in distance mode with Telugu methodology was another issue mooted to benefit Telugus. The meeting urged the Government to pressure neighbouring governments to fill the vacant posts of Telugu teachers.

Later at the valedictory function, Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development D. Purandareswari, responding to a resolution gave an assurance that she would leave no stone unturned in getting classical status for Telugu. The problems of Telugus living in other States would also be taken up, she said, releasing a souvenir brought out by `Telugu Vaani'.

The third day session began with seminars on Telugu history and culture and on the impact of globalisation on the two.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Telugu story writer making literary waves

Gangadhar's book takes characters from rural background

• He finds place among 10 literary doyens
• Gangadhar's short stories are adjudged the best

KADAPA: వేంపల్లి గంగాధర్ (Vempalli Gangadhar), a Telugu story writer of Kadapa district, finds place among 10 literary doyens such as Mahasweta Devi, Ashapurna Devi, Javed Akhtar and likes in the contemporary Indian literature section on `Indianetzone', an e-magazine on literature.

Gangadhar's book మొలకల పున్నమి (Molakala Punnami), a collection of 13 short stories, delineates characters from rural background and is full of pathos of the deprivedand reflects the voices of those who depend on land and vagaries of nature.

It is a feather in Gangadhar's cap to figure among writers such as Mulk Raj Anand, K.M. Munshi, Jibananda Das, Buddhadev Bose and Dharamvir Bharati and Sunil Gangopadhyay on the site.

Telugu pandit

Gangadhar's short stories were adjudged the best in R.S. Krishnamurthy Memorial story competitions at Visakhapatnam and by Telugu monthly, విపుల (Vipula), this year.

He works as Telugu pandit in Zilla Parishad high school at Peddaputha village in Kamalapuram constituency.

Renowned writer Gunturu Seshendra Sarma, who wrote the foreword in the book `Molakala Punnami,' acknowledged that the stories reflected a similar struggle like that in his popular work ఆధునిక మహాభారతం (Adhunika Mahabharatham).

The book by Gangadhar also carries an article కడప మాండలిక భాష (Kadapa Mandalika Bhasha) (local dialect of Kadapa) by Boodaraju Radhakrishna.

Gangadhar is also the recipient of American Telugu Association Award and a national story award.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Divisions cited for loss of Telugu glory

W. Chandrakanth

Telugus in Karnataka urged to join hands with Kannadigas in seeking classical language status for both the languages

CHENNAI: There are 14 crore Telugus in the world, speakers at the three-day All-India Telugu conference here have been claiming.

Most of them zeroed on this figure though some speakers claimed that it was higher by two crores.

They said the number of Telugus in Karnataka exceeded two crore and in Tamil Nadu one crore.

But is there one Telugu community, asked Ramaswamy Reddy of Hosur in

Tamil Nadu, bordering Karnataka on Saturday. He was angry that Telugus never really strived unitedly to protect their language or identity.

"There are many Telugus here who made it rich over a period in Chennai and other places. There are AIDMK Telugus and DMK Telugus. We have Congress Telugus.

We have Tamil Telugus, Kannada Telugus and Telugu Telugus. Why don't we have just Telugus," he asked, citing the divisions as the reason for the failure of Telugus efforts.

Referring to legedary Tamil poet Valluvaar, he observed that Tamils promoted the name of the poet consciously.

"His Tamil is understood only by the educated and scholars. Whereas we have a Vemana who lives in our hearts even now. Literate or not, everyone knows what Vemana has said."

Jnanpeeth Awardee C. Narayana Reddy suggested to Telugus in Karnataka to join hands with Kannadigas in seeking classical language status for both the languages.

Kannada also was equally old and deserved the status, he said. Interestingly, the Malaysian Telugu Association president, Atchayya Kumar, had this to say:

"I came here to cry on you shoulders and tell you about our plight in retaining our identity as Telugus in the face of domination by Chinese, Malays and Tamils in my country.

Now I see here that everyone here has similar problems. Whom do I go to now?"

Courtesy: The Hindu

Telugu Cultural Centre in Chennai soon

SHARING A POINT: T. Subbirami Reddy, Union Minister of State for Mines (left), with Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, at the fifth All India Telugu Conference, in Chennai on Friday

CHENNAI: The Andhra Pradesh Government will soon set up a cultural centre in Chennai to promote Telugu language and culture to resolve the problem faced by Telugus residing in Tamil Nadu in pursuing education in Telugu medium, said Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekara Reddy.

He made this announcement following a request by Potti Sriramulu Telugu University to set up either an academy or a cultural centre in the metropolitan city.

Dr. Reddy was inaugurating the three-day Fifth All India Telugu Conference that began here on Friday.

About 1,000 delegates representing 400 Telugu associations within the country and from Mauritius are attending the conference.

He said the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had already made a similar request to the Government.

Assembly committee

Affirming his Government's commitment to the development of Telugu language and culture, he said it would consider constituting an Assembly committee to interact with the Governments of neighbouring States and find solutions to the problems of Telugus living there.

He was not averse to the idea of pursuing the project of establishing Telugu chairs in universities across the globe.

The contribution of Telugus to the development of civilisations was remarkable.

For centuries, Telugus had built some of the finest traditions and contributed immensely to the literary field, he said, recalling the names of great poets and writers.

Palar issue

Touching briefly on the Palar dam controversy, he said a false campaign was launched by vested interests against the project taken up by his Government.

The construction of Palar dam, he said, was not against Tamil Nadu's interests.

Andhra Pradesh was well within its rights to go ahead with the project that was aimed at providing irrigation to just 5,000 acres in the region.

August gathering

Earlier, Dr. Reddy lit the traditional lamp to mark the beginning of the conference in the presence of Union Ministers E. V. K. S. Elangovan, T. Subbirami Reddy, Pallam Raju and P. Lakshmi and Andhra Pradesh Minister M. Budha Prasad, Puducherry Minister M. Krishna Rao, Karnataka Minister K. Subramanyam Naidu, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals group, Pratap C. Reddy, President of World Telugu Federation V. L. Indira Dutt, and film actors, Krishna, Vijaynirmala and Jayachitra.

Mr. Elangovan, praising the heritage of Telugus, said Tamils and Telugus were like twin races and both had high regard and respect for each other's languages and customs.

Noted poet and Jnanpith Awardee C. Narayana Reddy suggested to the Chief Minister to take up the issue of constituting the academy with his Tamil Nadu counterpart M. Karunanidhi.

Avula Manjulatha, Vice-Chancellor of the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, which is hosting the conference, appealed to the Chief Minister to help resolve the problems of Telugus by considering the university's suggestions to establish the academy.

Cultural programmes

The conference began on a colourful note with Saluri Vasu Rao and troupe presenting a `Sangeeta Lahari.'

Singers rendered classical Telugu songs that hail the greatness of Telugus and their culture. Kalaratna Deepika Reddy's Kuchipudi performance and Eluru's `Amukta Malyada,' a Kuchipudi dance ballet, were the other highlights.

Vankayala (V.S. N. Murthy) and his team presented a comedy skit.

S. P. Balasubramanyam, rendered the prarthana by singing `Maa Telugu Talliki,'

Courtesy: The Hindu