Rich tributes paid to inspiring poet Kaloji

Warangal: Rich tributes were paid to people's poet and Padma Vibhushan awardee Kaloji Narayana Rao on the occasion of his 108th birth anniversary across the erstwhile Warangal district on Friday. Garlanding the statue of Kaloji at Nakkalagutta in Hanumakonda, Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Errabelli Dayakar Rao said that Kaloji was a literary doyen and statesman who gallantly fought against the tyrannical rule of Nizam.

"Kaloji was a motivating force of public movements, including Telangana agitation. In his honour, the State Government is celebrating Kaloji's birthdays as Telangana Language Day," Errabelli said, recalling that the people's poet had worked for the promotion of Telugu language and literature. The government is also felicitating poets by giving Kaloji awards. The health university in Warangal was also named after him, the minister said. Kaloji actively participated in the library movement.

He said that the governance in Telangana is on the lines of Kaloji dreams. Warangal should feel proud that it has given us greats like Kaloji and Telangana ideologue Prof Jayashankar. They remained an inspiration for everyone, Errabelli said, urging youth to idolise them.

Greater Mayor Gundu Sudharani, KUDA chairman Sunder Raj Yadav, MLC Banda Prakash, MP Pasunrui Dayakar, Husnabad MLA V Sathish Kumar, popular Telugu novelist and Sahitya Akademi award winner Ampasayya Naveen, Hanumakonda and Warangal district collectors Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu and B Gopi were among others who paid tributes to Kaloji.

In a similar development, Chief Whip D Vinay Bhaskar paid tributes to Kaloji. "Kaloji's words - Puttuka needi, chavu needi, brathukantha deshanidi (birth is yours and death is yours, the entire life is for the country) were inspiring. Indeed his life is awe-inspiring," Vinay said. The people will never forget his services as freedom fighter, social activist and poet, Vinay said.