New Delhi: During the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman quoted Gurajada Apparao, the famous Telugu poet and playwright to highlight the development of India and the journey of Viksit Bharat. Notably, in January 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted Apparao during the launch of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination programme. In this article, we will take a look at the life and legacy of Gurajada Apparao.
Who is Gurajada Apparao?
Gurajada Venkata Apparao was a Telugu playwright and poet who is famous for his works in Telugu theatre. In 1892, he wrote the play ‘Kanya Sulkam’ which is considered the Telugu language’s greatest play. A legendary name in the Indian theatre, Apparao holds the titles ‘Abyudaya Kavitha Pithamahudu’ and ‘Kavisekhara’. In 1910, he wrote the “Desamunu Preminchumanna”, a famous Telugu patriotic song.
Born on September 21, 1862, at Anakapalli district which is presently in Andhra Pradesh, Gurajada and his family enjoyed a close relartionship with the royal family of the princely state of Vizianagaram where he grew up and lived most of his life. In 1884, he began his professional journey as a teacher in M.R. High School with a salary of Rs 25.
In 1887, Gurajada spoke at a meeting of the Congress party in Vizianagaram. He was also a social worker and a member of the Voluntary Service Corps in Visakhapatnam. In 1911, he was appointed by the Madras University to the Board of Studies. In the same year, he started the Andhra Sahitya Parishat along with his friends to promote spoken dialects. He passed away on November 30, 1915, at the age of 53.
The legacy of Kanya Sulkam
Kanya Sulkam, possibly the most famous work of Gurajada Apparao, is a play on evil traditions in child marriages. It also deals with the deplorable condition of widows in India during the 19th century. The play deals with social issues prevalent at that time as Apparao was extremely troubled by the social inequalities and hypocrisy in the Indian society. The play broke barriers and showed a prostitute in a positive light at that time. Also, it criticizes the male-dominated Indian society and questions the practices of witchcraft and sorcery.
Gurajada Apparao was a prominent Telugu playwright and poet, best known for his seminal work, Kanya Sulkam. This play, a powerful critique of child marriage and social injustice, cemented his place in Indian theatre history. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
