Balladeer who ignited passions

Hyderabad: Gummadi Vittal Rao, well-known as Gaddar, is a revolutionary balladeer who was active as a naxalite before he joined the Telangana movement, backing the demand for separate statehood.

Once a bank employee, Gaddar was an active naxalite till 2010. He was known for presenting vociferously songs which stirred the conscience of people in questioning the government policies, particularly when concerned with the underprivileged and the poor. He encouraged people to raise voice against the government failure to take up welfare measures for the uplift of the downtrodden.

Later after joining the Telangana movement, which was picking up pace in the late 2010s, he supported the demand of separate State along with other leaders. Following separate Statehood, Gaddar for some time kept aloof from politics. However, in the 2018 Assembly elections, he campaigned in support of the ‘People’s Front’ (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti) which formed an alliance against the TRS.

In recent years he supported K A Paul’s Praja Shanthi Party and appeared along with Congress leaders at various events. During the recent visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he was ecstatic and shared the dais with him giving an impression that he was completely throwing his weight behind the national party.

As a lyricist, he is known for penning and singing popular songs in Telugu films, including ‘MalleTheegaku’ (‘Orey Rikshaw’,1995) and ‘PodustunnaPoddumeeda’ (‘Jai Bolo Telangana’, 2011). His popularity rose amongst the masses after he sang the famous song ‘BandenakaBandiKatti’ (‘Maa Bhoomi’, 1979), which was written by BandiYadagiri.

For ‘MalleTheegaku’ he also won the Nandi Award under Best Lyricist category and later as Best Playback Singer for movie ‘Jai Bolo Telangana’ whose famous ‘PodustunnaPoddumeeda’ song still remains one of the best. It is a rage amongst Telangana youth. It is played at both social and political events to underscore Telangana’s pride.

Other songs which are credited to him are ‘Bhadram’ (‘Rangula Kala’,1983), ‘MelukoRaithanna’ (‘Software Sudheer’,2022), ‘Jam Jammalabari’ (‘Rangula Kala’, 1983), ‘AdaviThallikiVandanam’ (‘Dandakaranyam, 2016), ‘Nakit Beni Sevmiyor’ (‘Nakit Beni Sevmiyor’, 2021), ‘KalabalıkDağıldığında’ (‘KalabalıkDağıldığında, 2021),’Bharata Desam’ (‘Dandakaranyam), ‘MadhanaSundari (‘Rangula Kala’), ‘PodduthiruguduPuvva’ (‘Dandakaranyam), amongst others.