Hyderabad: The five-day World Telugu Conference, being held in the state for the first time, will be inaugurated by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu at Lal Bahadur Stadium at 5 pm on Friday.
Governor E.S.L. Narasim-han and Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao will be the special guests while Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will preside over the inaugural function.
Over 8,000 delegates from various states and countries have registered for the mega literary and cultural event and 50,000 people are expected to attend. A 25-minute laser show and fireworks display will be the highlight of the WTC on the inaugural day.
It will depict the famous literary personalities of Telangana and will be followed by a classical dance performed by 30 artistes.
A giant stage measuring 220 feet x 70 feet and 48 feet in height will be the centre of attraction at the venue. It features 12th century Kakatiya style arch with two panels on either side featuring Ramappa and Alampur Jogulamba temples and Telangana Talli.
Ancient scriptures, coins to be on display
Tangedu flowers, Pala pitta, Nagapadam (sculpture of the serpent god) found in the Jogulamba temple in Alampur, one of the Shakti peethams, and 56 illuminated Telugu alphabets will be prominently displayed.
The dais is named after noted Telangana poet Bam-mera Pothana and will feature a large LED screen 60 ft x 30 ft.
The base of the dais will feature 1,000 pillars and 46 pillars around the stadium will display portraits of 46 Telugu luminaries, from Somana and Pothana to Suravaram Pratap Reddy and C. Narayan Reddy.
Seating arrangements have been made for about 10,000 people in front of the dais while another 25,000 people will be accommodated in special galleries around the venue.
The state archaeology department has put up stalls to display ancient coins, inscriptions, and sculptures of the pre-Satavahana and Satavahana periods found in Telangana.
Several stalls of ‘Telangana Sambaralu’ (Telangana celebrations), featuring Telangana cuisine, handlooms, art, craft and culture have been set up in the LB Stadium premises and arrangements have been made to enable 35,000 people to visit the stalls at a time.
The entire top administration of the state government was in attendance at the stadium on Thursday to ensure all works are completed before the opening.
Tourism and culture secretary Burra Venkatesham said, “All the major works have been completed on a war-footing. Some leftover minor work will be completed by Thursday night. All arrangements will be in place by Friday morning. The main venue has been designed in such a manner that it reflects Telangana state’s rich heritage, literature, culture and tradition.”
The venue will display the caption ‘Naa Telangana, Koti Ratnaala Veena’ on a replica of talapatra (inscription).
Telangana Sahitya Academy chairman Nandini Sidda Reddy said the first WTC held in Telangana will go a long way in the preservation and promotion of Telugu in showcasing the rich legacy of Telangana’s history, language, culture.
