Aura of Telugu

 Former Minister of  A.P

Aura of Telugu

The light and luminance, the beat and rhythm, the face and preface of Telugu Buddha Prasad is a true aficionado of Telugu. He is a writer, critic, above all Virtuoso of Telugu, with his breath sound and silence filled with Telugu Budda Prasad strives like an ardent soldier to protect and promote his mother tongue with sheer love and selfless dedication. Choosing politics for public service, he has always been a stoic politician who treats the two imposters of victory and defeat alike. He kept himself abreast with either social or literary service and extricated himself from the pursuit of power politics. It is neither adulation nor exaggeration that in the glorification of his mother tongue he broke his sinews by undertaking several strenuous expeditions and arduous tasks.  It is these inexorable endeavors that fetched him the fame analogous to the Himalayas. He is not a celebrity but a celebrity. He is the image and prestige of Telugu. Even during his busy political campaigning he never lost focus of his mission. Language is always top priority to Budda Prasad politics is secondary. In 2009, the day before elections he attended the Krishna district Writers’ Association meeting held at Machilipatnam. His heart is always with his beloved Telugu. Mother tongue and mother are no two different things for him. He never swerved from his path since his purpose and pursuit, mission and ambition is glorifying his mother tongue is a dream which he is obsessed with.

On 26^th may 1956 Buddha Prasad was born into a traditional Telugu family. When young he was fortunate to have had the affluent association with great men like Bejwada Gopalareddy, Acharya N.G. Ranga. Budda Prasad could mend himself on the anvils of alliance with powerful men. That was the beginning of nascent nationalistic, forthright chivalrous but modest personality.  If his ideas make him great. His actions make him greater, just as actions speak louder than words. He has fiery nationalistic fervor and an irresistible urge to protect Telugu culture. He is the man behind the present Telugu language movement. In his mammoth struggle since 2002 myriad historians, writers, littérateurs are walking in his foot steps.

In 2008, it was the time of expansion of state cabinet the chief minister visited Krishna district on an official tour, Buddha Prasad was fast engaged in the inauguration of krishnadevaraya statue. But never tried to meet the C.M. contrary to the contemporary attitude. Buddha Prasad  stood as a towering giant and a trail blazer for the Telugu movement that is striding in the path paved by Gidugu Ramamurthy for colloquial Telugu language movement. In deed Buddha Prasad’s Telugu language movement is regarded as continuation of Gidugu’s movement.

21-03-2003 was an eventful day in the history of Telugu language movement. Buddha Prasad introduced a proposal to introduce compulsory Telugu education up to 5^th standard in all schools in the state regardless of medium. The then education minister Mr. Venkateswara Rao assured Buddha Prasad. Buddha Prasad’s strong criticism played a remarkable role and served as eye opener. G.O. number 86 was the result of his initiation.

Service to Telugu

He ran a monthly “Gandhi kshethram” for more than a decade taking a gauntlet to disseminate Gandhism. In 1990, he received Best Editor Award for his untiring efforts.

On september17th, 2004, when the central government recognized Tamil as an ancient language and accorded classical status,  Buddha Prasad called for a deeper research to prove that Telugu was equally ancient as Tamil. A national level seminar on the classicism of Telugu followed by Dravidian university deputy registrar, Acharya Gangisetti Lakshminarayana’s Telugu-kannada symposium led to the achievement of classical status to Telugu.

In October, 2006, released a voluminous book “Telugu Pasidi” that recorded the evolution of Telugu literature over 50 years.

In September, 2007, on the occasion of diamond jubilee celebrations of our independence, he released the book “Vajra Bharathi” which was inaugurated by central minister Mrs. Purandheswari.

In 2008 march, conducted a seminar on historical importance of Krishna district in the Dutch forte, Machilipatnam with the help of Archeological Survey of India.

In 2010, he published “Telugu Manideepalu” which consists of the life histories of 70  prominent Telugu people excelling in various fields.

In 2010, conducted a seminar on Telugu culture with the help of TANA.

Buddha Prasad’s relentless efforts are highly laudable. Under the leadership of senior minister Mr. M. Sathyanarayana, he met the prime minister with all the MPs from Andhra Pradesh and requested the p.m. to for the classical status to Telugu and Andhra Pradesh. He moved both people and politicians for the mission, he has undertaken. His commitment and conviction are commendable ad rare.

Buddha Prasad played his part in stimulating Veturi Sundararamamurthy who attended a meeting on Telugu literature at Avanigadda, Krishna district, the well acclaimed Telugu lyricist declared that he had return the national award unless the government recognizes Telugu, a classical language. Veturi’s statement had shaken the entire Telugu film industry. It has pushed the movement ahead.

Debut into politics

Nationalism is heredity to Mr. Buddha Prasad which he acquired from his father, Mandali Venkata Krishnaro, a prominent political leader. But it is not the same case with his entrance into politics. In 1972 during “jai Andhra” movement as his father, as the state minister adhered to united Andhra. The entire family had to face a situation similar to excommunication. The family under house arrest for a year. it was a great ordeal which Buddha Prasad overcame with will power and determination. Not a single soul around. He was quite isolated. It was then he developed penchant for reading. The lower rung of the party was emasculated. The congress party workers’ activity was ebb in their morale was depleted. Buddha Prasad was rather abstracted into politics. It was rather imperative to replenish the energy and enthusiasm of the party workers. When congress was out of power, Buddha Prasad served as the engine and pulled congress party for a decade and put the detracted party back on track. During draught when Krishna delta was parched without trace of water. He gathered delta riots and with millions of people he thronged over Prakasam barrage, Vijayawada blocked both traffic and forced the government to come to the rescue of ryots immediately. Then the government failed to pay attentions to agitations that were carrying for several years for Penumudi Bridge. Buddha Prasad took it seriously and sincerely. He declared that he would resign from Legislative Assembly membership. He could coerce the government to resolve a long pending problem.

The Peripatetic Minstrel

As Shelly writes “Hail to thee blithe spirit” in his ode to a skylark Budda Prasad  sang his blithe song across the frontiers of his land. Cross cultural Observation is his forte so wherever he went he observed the culture and traditions of the place and shared his experiences through a book. The lifestyle of “Telugu people in Mauritius”, “My tour to Germany”   are some of the books he wrote when he visited those places. He wrote a book “People and Progress” The then CM Chandrababu and opposition leader Y.S.Rajasekhar reddy wrote foreword to it. He invited Robert Cotton, the grad son of Sir Arthur Cotton to see the Godavari Krishna Delta and honored him.  During his visit to London he visited CP Brown’s grave (spotted it after a great effort) refurbished it with the help of  Telugu Association in London. Amid masses of thankless generation Budda Prasad is not only distinctively different but also distinctly superior individual with values and virtues that very Telugu man is proud of. 

The aura of Telugu Budda Prasad, may his tribe increase.