Telugu Language Day Commemorates Gidugu, Revolutionary Behind Simple Telugu Usage
In current times, digital platforms and Telugu film industry have aided in expanding the reach of the language to a global audience
The birth anniversary of renowned Telugu writer, linguist and social visionary Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy, observed on August 29, is celebrated as Telugu Language Day every year in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and the Union Territory of Yanam.
A multilingual scholar with extensive knowledge of linguistic theory, Gidugu launched an initiative to simplify written Telugu (Grandhika Bhasha), which was heavily influenced by Sanskrit, and make it accessible to the masses through Vyavaharika Bhasha, or spoken Telugu. His efforts helped establish Telugu as a medium of teaching, writing and examination in educational institutions. They also made literature, which had previously been largely restricted to intellectuals and scholars, accessible to ordinary people. His greatness lay in preserving the beauty of the language while making it simpler and closer to everyday usage.
Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy was born on August 29, 1863, in Parvatalapeta, Srikakulam. He lost his father at a very young age and studied privately while staying at his sister's house before clearing his matriculation examination. He began his career as a teacher at Gajapati Maharaja School in Parlakimidi.
He also worked for the upliftment of tribal communities, particularly the Savaras in Parlakimidi. He developed a simple script for the Savara language and prepared lexicons that enabled people to learn it within a few days. His dedication to tribal welfare required extensive travel through malaria-infested areas, which eventually affected his health. Treatment with quinine reportedly left him deaf. Because of his commitment to his cause, he was called "Pidugu", meaning thunderbolt in Telugu, a name that rhymed with Gidugu.
He passed away on January 22, 1940, at the age of 77 in Srikakulam.
The British conferred on him the titles of "Rao Saheb" and "Kaisar-i-Hind" for his service to the Savara community and his contributions to the Telugu language. European linguists Jules Bloch and Daniel Jones recognised his work on Munda linguistics as pioneering and original.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh provides funds on Telugu Language Day to organise cultural programmes, support linguistic development and honour literary figures with special awards as part of its efforts to promote the language.
Gidugu is remembered for championing spoken Telugu and helping bridge the gap between the language and ordinary people. He promoted simpler and more practical education and believed that the Telugu taught in schools should reflect the language spoken by native speakers.
In 2008, Telugu was granted classical language status, joining languages such as Sanskrit and Tamil. Telugu is also included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as one of India's 22 scheduled languages.
Telugu's rhythm and phonetic flow have earned it the nickname "Italian of the East". Niccolò de' Conti, a 15th-century Italian traveller, reportedly observed similarities between Telugu and Italian, particularly the tendency for words to end in vowels.
Telugu is one of India's six classical languages and is spoken by an estimated 96–110 million people worldwide. It is the fourth-most spoken language in India and among the world's most widely spoken languages. According to the 2011 Census of India, around 83 million people reported Telugu as their first language.
On Telugu Language Day, educational institutions, including schools and universities, organise literary events, poetry recitations, competitions and debates to promote awareness of the language and highlight its role in preserving regional identity. The Central Institute of Indian Languages also supports research and documentation aimed at preserving and expanding Telugu's linguistic legacy.
In 1966, the Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act was passed, legally establishing Telugu as the primary language for state administration and marking an important step towards preserving the language's identity.
In contemporary times, digital platforms and the Telugu film industry, popularly known as Tollywood, have helped expand the language's global reach. Telugu cinema has a particularly strong presence in North America, driven in part by the large Telugu-speaking technology and engineering diaspora in the United States.
While Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy worked to bring the Telugu language closer to ordinary people, former Chief Minister and TDP founder N. T. Rama Rao championed Telugu pride and linguistic identity through his political and cultural efforts.