Story highlights
- The late Gurajada Venkata Apparao was born on 21 September 1862 in his maternal uncle's house in Y.
- Rayavaram, Visakhapatnam district, to Venkata Ramadasu and Kausalyamma.
- Gurajada was a great poet, playwright and prominent social reformer who brought revolutionary changes in the field of Telugu drama and literature.
The late Gurajada Venkata Apparao was born on 21 September 1862 in his maternal uncle’s house in Y. Rayavaram, Visakhapatnam district, to Venkata Ramadasu and Kausalyamma. Gurajada was a great poet, playwright and prominent social reformer who brought revolutionary changes in the field of Telugu drama and literature. He was a pioneer who freed Telugu literature from the shackles of scriptural language and wrote in the vernacular language, i.e. the common language of the people. Apparao is known as the ‘Father of Modern Poetry’, ‘Father of Progressive Poetry’ and ‘Kavishekhara’ for his services to modern Telugu literature. Apparao inspired the vernacular language movement in Telugu literature and fought against the evils of society through his pen. Although his works are few, they can be said to be the most famous and valuable creations. Gurajada Apparao’s famous works include Kanyasulkamu (1892 play), Kondubhattiyam (play), Bilhaniyam (play), Desamnu Prithimanna, famous songs, poems, short stories, etc. and he created a new poetic form called ‘Mutyala Saralu’, which brought a new trend to modern poetry. Today, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, this poem. 🌹 Every step taken towards progress is a blessing and the Telugu nation will always celebrate it as a new age Vaitalika.
