Telangana CM, ministers bid adieu to poet Andesri

Hyderabad, Nov 11 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues and other leaders on Tuesday bid adieu to eminent poet and lyricist Andesri, who was laid to rest with police honours at Ghatkesar on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Andesri, who penned the State anthem 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana', passed away on Monday.

The Chief Minister shouldered the bier of Andesri before he was laid to rest.

A posse of policemen offered a gun salute, opened fire in the air and observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

The funeral procession, which started from Andesri's house in Lalapet, passed through Tarnaka and Uppal before reaching Ghatkesar.

The Chief Minister paid tributes to the poet and consoled the family members.

Ministers Jupally Krishna Rao, Sridhar Baby, Adluri Laxman, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud, senior leaders K. Keshava Rao, V. Hanumantha Rao and Kodandaram participated in the last rites.

Family members, relatives and friends bid a tearful adieu to Andesri, who died of cardiac arrest on Monday. He was 64.

Andesri was shifted to Gandhi Hospital late on Sunday night after he collapsed at his house in Lalapet.

The eminent poet played a significant role in the Telangana movement through his writings and songs. His composition 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana Janani Jaya Ketanam' became the anthem of the statehood struggle and was adopted as the official State song by the Congress government in 2023.

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons after the last rites, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said Andesri’s demise was a huge loss to Telangana and a personal loss to him.

He recalled his meeting with Andesri while undertaking a padyatra as the president of the state Congress. He said the eminent poet's support gave inspiration to the Congress cadres.

The Chief Minister also announced that the state Cabinet at its next meeting would take a decision on including Andesri's son 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana' in the textbooks.

He announced that a member of the family of Andesri will be provided a government job. He said the government would construct a befitting memorial for the people's poet.

CM Revanth Reddy requested the Centre to confer Padma Shri on Andesri.

--IANS

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