Vedakumar Re-elected to Intach Governing Council for Fourth Term With Record Votes

Hyderabad: Vedakumar Manikonda was on Thursday re-elected as governing council member of Intach, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, for a fourth consecutive term, securing the highest number of votes in the organisation’s history. His tenure is for three years.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Vedakumar said his work during his 42-year-long association with Intach had largely focused on protecting and promoting traditional artisans, particularly from districts, by supporting and encouraging them to sustain their crafts.

Vedakumar highlighted efforts to ensure continuity of traditional skills across generations. Citing an example, he referred to wooden string puppetry artists from Jangaon, where the son of a deceased artisan has taken up the craft. “We have taken them to many districts and are now introducing these art forms in schools. Children are being taught the skills and later perform them,” he said, adding that several such initiatives are underway.

Vedakumar has worked extensively in heritage conservation, including monuments, rock formations and intangible cultural practices across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He has also played a role in advocating policies for heritage protection, including contributions to the Telangana Heritage Act, 2017.