CM Revanth proposes Padma Shri for poet Ande Sri, announces memorial park and job for kin

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy remembered the significant role played by popular writer and poet Ande Sri during the Telangana struggle through his songs and poems.

Addressing the press here, the Chief Minister said that the State Government had written a letter to the Union government last year requesting to confer the Padma Shri award on Ande Sri, but no positive response was received. The government will write a letter again and appeal to the Centre to consider the demand for the Padma Shri award to Ande Sri, who passed away on Monday.

The Chief Minister also requested Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay to help out in awarding Padma Shri to the writer who penned Telangana’s official song ‘Jaya Jayahe Telangana.’

“Let both State and Central governments strive for the Padma award to the great Telangana writer,” he said.

Memorial for poet

Recalling his close association, CM Revanth Reddy said that the demise of Ande Sri is an irreparable loss for him personally and to the Telangana society. “When I was the TPCC president, I met him and appealed to the writer to play a role in solving the problems of Telangana people,” the CM said, and added that every song written by Gaddar and Ande Sri was an inspiration to people. It was the reason the State Cabinet took the decision of including the Ande Sri song ‘Jaya Jayahe Telangana’ as a subject in the curriculum.

Further, the Chief Minister said that the government will establish a Memorial Park in memory of Ande Sri and provide a government job to one of the writer’s family members. The collection of songs ‘Nippula Vaagu’ will serve as a guide like the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible and the Quran for those fighting on Telangana issues.

As many as 20,000 books will be published and made available in every library in the state, the CM said.