Ongole: Telugu Language Day was celebrated across Prakasam district on Friday, commemorating the birth anniversary of Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy, the pioneer of Telugu spoken language movement.

At the Collectorate, Joint Collector Ronanki Gopala Krishna, along with DRO B Chinna Obulesu and other officials, paid floral tributes to Ramamurthy’s portrait.

Speaking on the occasion, the Joint Collector praised Ramamurthy as a visionary, who transformed Telugu from a scholarly literary language into an everyday spoken language, making it accessible to ordinary people.

He emphasised the importance of prioritising Telugu in official programmes and correspondence, and personally mentioned taking his civil service examinations in Telugu. He urged everyone to contribute to the development of the Telugu language and appreciate its beauty.

He called for increased use of Telugu in official work and daily communication. Simultaneously, Prakasam Zilla Rachayitala Sangham organised celebrations at Rangarayudu Cheruvu, where its president Ponnuru Venkata Srinivasu and members paid tributes to statues of Telugu Talli, Annamacharya, and Sri Krishnadevaraya. They honoured Dr Santaveluri Koteshwararao, President of Lalita Kala Academy, for installing the three statues.

The celebrations witnessed participation from writers, poets, language enthusiasts, and officials from various organisations, including Andhra Padya Saraswat Parishat, Consumer Association, Sanskara Bharathi, and Nature Seva Foundation, demonstrating the community’s commitment to preserving and promoting the mother tongue.