Minister urges inclusion of Gurajada’s life and works in textbooks

Minister for MSME and NRI Affairs Kondapalli Srinivas on Sunday stressed that schools should teach the life and works of mahakavi Gurajada Apparao. He added that future generations must learn about the writer’s values and reformist ideas.

The Minister, along with District Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy and Joint Collector Sedhu Madhavan, paid floral tributes at Gurajada’s residence. Then, he joined a rally from the heritage house to Gurajada Junction. There, he garlanded the statue of the poet.

Srinivas addressed the gathering. He said that writers, poets, and cultural organisations have appealed to the government to declare Gurajada’s birth anniversary a State festival. Therefore, the government is considering these suggestions. He promised that a decision would be announced soon.

Meanwhile, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu praised Gurajada’s courage in confronting social evils. He noted that Kanyasulkam, the poet’s path-breaking play, highlighted the exploitation of young girls forced into early marriage. Thus, literature became a tool for social reform.

Several cultural and literary associations used the occasion to press for preservation of Gurajada’s legacy. For instance, representatives of Gurajada Samskrutika Samakhya, including M. Venkateswara Rao and Kapuganti Prakash, along with Vizianagaram Powra Vedika president Bhisetti Babji, requested the government to build an auditorium near the poet’s ancestral house. This facility, they said, would support literary and cultural activities.

Moreover, members of Gurajada Vignan Kendram, led by convener K. Srinivasa Rao, highlighted the poet’s wider contribution. They said Gurajada inspired generations through his progressive ideas and his call for social equality. In addition, association members G. S. Chalam and V. Yamini noted that Gurajada’s works brought Telugu literature to a national stage.

Gurajada’s great grandson, Venkateswara Prasad, and his wife G. Indira were present. They expressed gratitude to the government and literary organisations for honouring the poet’s memory.

Finally, speakers stressed the importance of preserving Gurajada’s house as a heritage monument. They added that promoting academic studies on his writings and making his works accessible to students would be the most meaningful way to celebrate his legacy.