Telangana mimicry artiste Nerella Venumadhav passes away at 86
His last rites to be performed with state honours.
Warangal: The father of Indian mimicry, Padma Sri Dr Nerella Venumadhav, breathed his last on Tuesday morning. He was 85. He had been ill for several days and had been on ventilator support at his home in Mattewada. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.
Several of his students, who are working in the Telugu film industry, including comedian Venu Madhav, Jabardasth fame Venky, Mime Madhu and others visited his home and shared in the family’s grief.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, MP Sitaram Naik, MP Banda Prakash, ZP chairperson Gaddala Padma, and district collector Amrapali Kata were among those who condoled his death and paid floral tributes.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has issued orders to perform Dr Venumadhav’s final rites with state honours. Accordingly, he was cremated at the Kothawada graveyard.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari promised that an electrical burning platform would be set up at Kothawada as per the wishes of the family members. He also said one of the state-run educational institutions would be named after Nerella Venu Madhav. The open-air auditorium in the public garden would be developed with world-class facilities.
Born in 1932, Venu Madhav earned worldwide praise for his witty imitations of several prominent celebrities, politicians, local dialects and the Nizams. He started his career at the very young age of 16, in 1947, and has been an active mimic and ventriloquist for 70 years. He was the first mimic in the world invited to perform at the United Nations in New York.
He was hailed as the pioneer, maestro and father of mimicry in India. He played a pivotal role in introducing a diploma course in mimicry in Telugu University and even taught there for two years.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his heartfelt condolences on the demise of mimicry artist Padmasree Dr Nerella Venu Madhav.
The Chief Minister described him as a person who brought fame to the art of mimicry. He said Venu Madhav had succeeded in including mimicry in the educational syllabus and in his death the world has lost a great personality.