Kothagudem: Sakini Ramchandraiah seeks pension for artistes

Kothagudem: Renowned Padma Shri awardee Sakini Ramchandraiah, aged 69, has called upon the Congress government to allocate pensions for artists in the state. Hailing from the village of Kottagudem in the Manuguru zone under Bhadri-Kothagudem, the award-winning folk singer and Dhol player, Ramchandraiah ST Koya, expressed his concerns after the recent Padma Vibhushan award winners’ felicitation programme in Hyderabad.

Ramchandraiah shared that while the BRS government honoured him with a one-crore-rupee award, he has not received the promised pension. Despite being recognised by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Bhadrachalam and appointed as Chief Master (CDM) to train students in Tribal Traditional Dances, he highlighted the non-functioning of the programme due to the government’s failure to release funds.

It may be mentioned here that the commissioner of Hyderabad had issued an order on March 9, 2022 for a 10-month training programme, offering an honorarium of Rs 20,000 per month. Ramchandraiah selected approximately 80 students, but the lack of government cooperation and delayed fund release have impeded the initiative.

Expressing urgency, the veteran artist urged the state government to promptly resume the orders, in order to preserve tribal arts. He requested permission for the operation of the dance school in ITDA Bhadrachalam.

Additionally, Ramchandraiah, suffering with age-related health issues, appealed for support from the government, providing a health card for his treatment within the state. He stressed the need for monthly pensions to safeguard artists who have dedicated their lives to their art forms and called for immediate action to ensure their financial

well-being.