VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government is committed to promoting a cultural renaissance and taking the works of eminent writers and poets to the younger generation, tourism, culture and cinematography minister Kandula Durgesh said on Saturday.

Speaking at the birth anniversary celebrations of Mahakavi and Padma Bhushan awardee Boi Bhimanna at the Pingali Venkaiah conference hall at the Vijayawada Collectorate, Durgesh said the government would strengthen the cultural sector.

NTR district Collector Dr G. Lakshmisha was the other chief guest. Durgesh inspected a photo exhibition on Bhimanna’s life and paid floral tributes to the poet.

He presented the Boi Bhimanna Award-2026 to Guntur-based writer and litterateur Bhusurapalli Venkateswarlu, along with a memento, shawl and `2 lakh cash prize.

Durgesh said Bhimanna’s writings continued to inspire social awareness and consciousness. He also recalled the contribution of Bhimanna’s wife, Boi Haimavathi, to his literary journey.

Durgesh said discussions would be held with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on shifting the Boi Bhimanna Kala Peetham, currently in Telangana, to Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University in Rajamahendravaram.

He also said eligible artists would soon be issued identity cards through the Department of Culture after discussions with special secretary S.S. Rawat.

Awardee Venkateswarlu described Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Gurram Jashuva and Bhimanna as three greats of Telugu literature and said receiving an award named after Bhimanna was a matter of pride.

State Theatre Academy chairman Gummadi Gopalakrishna urged people to read Bhimanna’s socially conscious works, while Official Language Commission chairman Poola Trivikrama Rao sought relocation of the Kala Peetham to AP and publication of Bhimanna’s works.

Writers, poets, artists, officials and Bhimanna’s family members attended.

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