Hyderabad: Obsession with English led to decline of Telugu in Basheerbagh

Basheerbagh: Former Telugu University Vice-Chancellor Dr N Gopi has opined that obsession with English in Telugu states has led to the decline of Telugu language. Avadhānaṃ is a literary performance popular from the very ancient days in India. Avadhānaṃ originated as a Sanskrit literary process and is revived by Telugu and Kannada poets in modern times. It involves the partial improvisation of poems using specific themes, metres, forms, or words, writes Wikipedia.

He was addressing the 'Ashtavadanam' programme conducted by Dr Muluga Anjaiah Avadani, organised jointly by Telugu Basha Chaitanya Samithi and Lakshya Sadhana Foundation on the occasion of International Mother Tongue Day at Press Club here on Tuesday. He said that everyone should gain proficiency in mother tongue as it helps learn other languages easily. Proficiency in one's mother tongue helps in develop creativity. He said that he had become a good poet only because he learnt his mother tongue Telugu. Expressing unhappiness over the decline of Telugu, he said that only use of mother tongue in schools and colleges helps the language flourish. President of Vishwasahithi Dr Jayaramulu stressed the need for saving Telugu language, which had been rapidly declining due to obsession with English.

Dr Kavuri Srinivas, G Govind, K Janardhanachari and BVV Satyanarayana were presented with mother tongue awards on the occasion.

President of Telugu Basha Chaitanya Samithi K Rajagopal Naidu, founder president P Bade Sab, founder-president of Education Sport Foundation, Nakka Srinivas Yadav, Lakshya Sadhana Foundation chairman Praja Raju and others attended the programme.