Vijayawada:Margadarsi Managing Director (MD) Sailaja Kiron on Saturday said that Telugu was the fourth most spoken language in the country, asserting that people must make all the necessary attempts to protect the language.
Addressing the inaugural event of the sixth World Telugu Writers Conference, which began on Saturday (Dec 28, 2024) here in Andhra Pradesh, Kiron spoke about the greatness of Telugu and the importance of conversing in one's mother tongue, while adding that the mindset that 'speaking only in English is great' was wrong.
“Telugu is the fourth most spoken language in the country and the 14th most spoken language in the world. Poets like Kavitrayam made it popular,” she said. "Srikrishna Devaraya praised Telugu as the best language in India. Rabindranath Tagore also appreciated the Telugu language and music,” she said.
Remembering Ramoji Group founder Ramoji Rao, Kiron said he was very fond of the Telugu language and Telugu states. “We used to greet him in the morning and say Subhodayam(Good Morning in Telugu), and everyone would say Subhodayamat home. He used to take special care to make sure the children spoke Telugu in our house.”
“In his memory, let us all say Subhodayam from now on. We take great care of what we think is ours. The Telugu language belongs to all of us. That's why we should all work together to protect and develop our language,” she said.
Inaugural Event
The conference was inaugurated by former Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Kiron as they lit the ceremonial lamp. Before the formal inauguration, tributes were paid to the statue of Telugu Talli, the statue depicted as a goddess symbolizing prosperity, tradition, and the importance of the Telugu language.
MLAs Sujana Chowdhury and Mandali Buddha Prasad, Vishwa Hindi Parishad National President Acharya Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, and Eenadu Andhra Pradesh Editor M Nageswara Rao among others participated in the inaugural event.
The two-day event, hosted at the KBN College premises, has drawn over 1,500 poets, writers, and language enthusiasts from across the globe. The conference is jointly organised by the World Telugu Writers' Association, Krishna District Writers' Association, and KBN College.
'Let's save the Telugu language', says Justice Ramana
Justice Ramana emphasized the beauty and importance of the Telugu language. "Let's save the Telugu language," Justice Ramana said as he addressed the gathering.
He paid tribute to Ramoji Rao, whom he called "the beloved child of the Telugu mother" and a warrior for the preservation of the Telugu language and traditions. "Ramoji Rao fought till his last breath to preserve our culture," Justice Ramana remarked, adding that the entire Telugu world could feel his presence at the event.
"Telugu, spoken by over 100 million people in India, is a language of beauty and eloquence," he said. "It is like music, and even common people speak it with poetic grace. Our mother tongue, Telugu, is wonderful, and we should never allow it to be misused for political or commercial purposes."
Emphasizing the importance of preserving the language and culture, Justice Ramana remarked, "We will only achieve greatness by safeguarding our language and traditions. A nation without its language is like a group of orphans, lost, with no history or identity. Let us ensure that our culture and language endure for generations."
Justice Ramana also honoured the contributions of great poets, writers, and artists like Sri Sri, Arudra, Vishwanatha Satyanarayana, Sinare, Bhanumathi, Suryakantham, Jamuna, Savitri, Gummadi, Jaggaiah, Akkineni, NTR, Raylangi, SVR, Ghantasala, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, and SP Balasubrahmanyam. He called on the people to remember and pass on this rich heritage to future generations.