Noted Telugu poet Dasaradhi Rangacharyulu dead 

Well-known Telugu writer and Sahitya Akademi awardee, Dasaradhi Rangacharyulu, passed away in a corporate hospital here. He was 86 and had been ailing for the past couple of weeks.

He was noted for his simple writings, reflecting the culture and ethos of Telangana, and sharp wit. His writings — Chillara Devullu (Lesser Deities), Jeevana Yanam (autobiographical life’s journey), Modugu Poolu (fire flowers ), and a translation of the four Vedas into Telugu, stood out in a long career. A high point of his life was his strident opposition of the oppressive rule of the Nizams in the erstwhile Hyderabad State, which landed him in jail.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said, “The Telugu literary world has lost a towering personality. His writings on the Telangana armed struggle and the condition of people in Telangana cannot be forgotten.”

Several political leaders including Union Ministers, Venkaiah Naidu, Bandaru Dattatreya, YSR Congress Party Chief, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, and others condoled the death.

According to information, the funeral will be held in the city on Tuesday.

Hailing from an ordinary, middle-class family, originally from Warangal district, Dasaradhi had to struggle hard as he moved to Khammam and then Vijayawada for higher education. After the formation of the united state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, he joined Government service and worked in Hyderabad for over three decades.

Interestingly, Dasaradhi grew under the towering personality of his elder brother Dasaradhi Krishnamacharyulu (died in 1987), who also won the Sahitya Akademi Award, was a noted writer, poet, and made a mark as a lyricist. He played a significant role in the Telangana armed struggle against Hyderabad State.

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