Govt to celebrate Ghantasala centenary on December 4

Amaravati: Minister for Tourism and Youth Services Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao announced here on Wednesday that the government would celebrate the centenary of legendary singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao in Visakhapatnam on December 4.

Addressing at review meeting with the officials of the tourism, youth services and sports at the Secretariat here, the Minister recalled that Ghantasala who was born in Chowtapalli village near Gudivada on December 4, 1922, has rendered more than 10,000 songs in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam languages.

Underlining the importance of conducting centenary celebrations of the legendary singer, the Minister asked Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargav to instruct the District Collectors to organise the celebrations in all the district headquarters by conducting singing competitions and distribute prizes to the best singers. The biography of Ghantasala should be printed and distributed to people during the celebrations. The Minister also directed the Special Chief Secretary to see that the District Collectors organise awareness camps for youth on the use of drugs in connection with the World AIDS Day on December 1. The Minister asked the Tourism Department officials to make necessary arrangements for holding Visakha Utsav in Visakhapatnam, Gandikota Utsav in Kadapa and Lepakshi Utsav in Anantapur to highlight the historical and tourism importance of these regions. The boating services at Bhavani Island in Vijayawada, Pochavaram in West Godavari and Nagarjuna Sagar should be resumed immediately for the tourists. Muttamsetti issued orders to the tourism officials to hand over 34 out of the 46 hotels of the department to the operation and maintenance agencies by December 1. Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargav informed the meeting that Hyatt Hotels came forward to start their chain of hotels in Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and the Oberoi Hotels expressed interest to start hotels at Tirupati, Horseley Hills, Picchukalanka, Gandikota and Annavaram. After the government issued orders, the MoUs with these hotels would be signed, he said.

Cultural department CEO Mallikarjuna, Sports department technical assistant director SV Ramana, Mahesh Babu, Dharma Rao, Devanand, Ajay Kumar and others were present.