Venkaiah Naidu Highlights Importance of Preserving Telugu Language

The World Telugu Conference, held at Godavari Global University in Rajanagaram, East Godavari district, brought together well-known writers, poets, and politicians to celebrate and discuss the Telugu language. Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, the chief guest, underlined the importance of conserving and promoting Telugu as an integral element of cultural identity. He said, “Forgetting Telugu is similar to forgetting our mother,” and urged authorities and individuals to prioritize the language. He further added that leaders who do not speak Telugu should not deserve public support, and urged voters to reject them.

Naidu highlighted the vast presence of Telugu-speaking communities and emphasized the importance of governments conducting administrative work in Telugu. He lauded the efforts of luminaries such as N.T. Rama Rao, Narla Venkateswara Rao, and Cherukuri Ramoji Rao to promote the language. Naidu also underlined Telugu’s richness, with over six lakh words that outnumber English by a wide margin.

Renowned scholar Garikipati Narasimha Rao called for Telugu to become the primary medium of instruction from elementary to degree levels, advocating for the discontinuation of the LKG and UKG systems in favor of Telugu-based education. He revealed that he declined the offer of chairmanship for the Official Language Commission, focusing instead on systemic reforms.

Author Jonnavithula Ramalingeswara Rao highlighted the need for serious governmental efforts to safeguard Telugu. Comparing India’s reliance on foreign languages to countries like China and Singapore, which excel in native-language education, he urged newspapers and media to actively promote Telugu. Rao also suggested that news anchors incorporate various Telugu dialects to preserve its linguistic diversity.The conference concluded with a call for collective action to ensure Telugu thrives for future generations.