None can match S V Ranga Rao: Chandrababu Naidu

Eluru: Unveiling the statue of yesteryears actor S V Ranga Rao on his 100th birth anniversary  here on Tuesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said legendary actors N T Rama Rao and S V Ranga Rao would remain in the hearts of Telugu people forever.

A 12.5-ft bronze statue of character actor S V Ranga Rao was established at Kalaparru Y Junction near here. Addressing a meeting after unveiling the statue, Chandrababu Naidu said very few people scale heights and it would not be possible for anyone to match the acting abilities of late S V Ranga Rao. He said Ranga Rao was known for his diction.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that N T Rama Rao and S V Ranga Rao were good friends. Later, Naidu inaugurated a photo exhibition of S V Ranga Rao. He complimented Eluru MLA Badeti Kota Rama Rao, who is also nephew of the late actor, for taking up the initiative to establish the statue.

The Chief Minister recalled various films of the actor where he exhibited his unique style of acting including Maya Bazaar, Atmabandhuvu, Kalasivunte Kaladu Sukham, Missamma and Bangaru Papa among others. Thanking the people of West Godavari for their unstinted support to the Telugu Desam Party, he said that a satellite township would be developed here.

He said that he felt privileged to inaugurate the statue of one of the greatest actors of Telugu filmdom. Referring to the love and affection showered by the people of West Godavari, he said that he would strive to provide irrigation facility to the third crop after completion of Polavaram Project. He said that the construction of 19 lakh houses would be completed by March next and efforts would be on to construct 20 lakh houses more.

The Chief Minister underlined the importance of establishing industries and development of tourism to ensure employment to the youth. MLA Badeti Kota Rama Rao (Bujji) said that welfare programmes worth Rs 3 crore have been undertaken under the aegis of Badeti Venkatramaiah Trust in the last three years.

The Chief Minister handed over Rs one lakh to Veerababu, president of Pawan Kalyan Fans Association for undergoing kidney operation.  He also assured Rs 3 lakh more from the CM Relief Fund. Later, the Chief Minister felicitated sculptor Rajkumar Vadayar who made the statue of SVR.

Ministers Prathipati Pulla Rao, Pithani Satyanarayana, K S Jawahar, government whip Chintamaneni Prabhakar, ZP chairman Mullapudi Bapiraju, MPs Maganti Babu, Thota Sitaramalakshmi, former minister Kamineni Srinivas and others participated.