Gollapudi Maruthi Rao's tryst with Warangal

Warangal: Noted writer, actor and multifaceted personality Gollapudi Maruthi Rao had been to Warangal many a time but not many people aware of the fact that he is the son-in-law of the soil. Maruthi Rao has a long-standing relationship with Warangal as far back as 1961 since he got married to Sivakama Sundari, daughter of Sripada Ramkishan Rao, the then district education officer.

According to the literary connoisseurs, his father-in-law had owned a house near Adalath Junction, behind the office of the DEO. Maruthi Rao's wife Sundari was a contemporary of Sahitya Akademi award winner Ampasayya Naveen. "Sundari was also an alumnus of prestigious Arts & Science College," Naveen told The Hans India, recalling his college days. I was in regular touch with Maruthi Rao, predominantly speaking to him on literary trends and books.

Maruthi Rao was also a friend of Kaloji brothers – Narayana Rao and Rameshwar Rao. His association continued with Warangal even though he had found a firm footing in the film industry as a writer and actor. From Chennai, he used to come to Warangal to participate in the literary meetings of the Mitra Mandali.

Kundavajjala Krishnamurthy, Telangana Rachayithala Sangham Warangal President, said that Maruthi Rao was the recipient of Sahrudaya Sahitya Puraskar, an award given in memory of Oddiraju brothers - Seeta Ramachandra Rao and Raghava Ranga Rao, who started a first Telugu weekly magazine 'Tenugu' in 1922. The award was given for his work – Sayankalam Ayindi, a novel, in 2001.

Recalling the event, Potlapally Srinivas Rao, the Secretary of Sahrudaya Organisation, said that Maruthi Rao was in his elements when he spoke on the occasion.

In 2012, Maruthi Rao attended the Shashtipurti ceremony of poet Girija Manohar Babu. Girija Manohar Babu attended the 80th birthday celebration of Maruhi Rao held in Visakhapatnam on April 14. Kaloji Foundation President Nagilla Rama Sastry, who was the guest in one of the episodes of the Vandella Kathaku Vandanaalu telecasted in HMTV, recalled his association with the multifaceted personality. Several poets - NVN Chary, Basiri Sambashiva Rao and others who remembered their association with Maruthi Rao expressed grief over the death of legendary personality. It may be mentioned here that Maruthi Rao who was born in Vizianagaram on April 14, 1939, breathed his last in Chennai on Thursday (December 12).