Venkaiah Naidu Opens Online Telugu Literary Conference Meet In Shanghai
Former vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually inaugurates the 10th World Telugu Literary Conference in Shanghai, urging overseas Telugu communities to preserve their language and culture.
Venkaiah Naidu opens online Telugu Literary Conference meet in Shanghai MD ILYAS | DC VIJAYAWADA, OCT. 24 Former vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually inaugurated the 10th World Telugu Literary Conference in Shanghai, China, on Saturday. Addressing the participants via a video conference call, he described the Telugu meet in China as a golden chapter in the history of Telugu language and literature. The two-day conference, concluding on Sunday, is being jointly organised by the Vanguri Foundation of America and the Shanghai Telugu Association. It is the first World Telugu Literary Conference being held in China, bringing together Telugu writers, scholars and language enthusiasts from several countries of the world, including the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong. The former Indian vice president regretted his inability to attend the conference in person owing to health-related reasons. Describing Telugu as a language as precious as nectar, he asked people living abroad to preserve their mother tongue, culture and traditions, regardless of their professional positions or geographical locations. “Language is not merely a medium of communication; it represents our roots, culture, and identity,” he said. He wanted parents to speak Telugu at home and teach their children to read and write the language. Venkaiah Naidu praised the Vanguri Foundation of America, its founder Dr Vanguri Chitten Raju, and his team for their efforts in promoting the Telugu language and literature worldwide over the past 31 years. He appreciated the Shanghai Telugu Association president Karanam Madhava Reddy and other organisations for supporting the conference. The conference will feature book launches, literary speeches, poetry recitations, and interactive sessions. The former Indian vice president expressed hope that the event would gain recognition in China and find a place in the Telugu Book of Records.
On the occasion, the Indian Consulate in Shanghai felicitated Padma Bhushan awardee Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad. India's Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur discussed ways to promote Indian languages and culture abroad. Lakshmi Prasad, a former Rajya Sabha member, is among the prominent literary figures attending the conference. His honours include the Padma Shri, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Padma Bhushan.
