Ande Sri, Iconic Poet Who Infused Life into Telangana State Song

Hyderabad: Dr Ande Sri rose from abject poverty to become one of Telangana’s most iconic poet-lyricists and the creator of the state anthem ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’. Belonging to a Dalit community and orphaned young, Ande Sri did not have formal education and could neither read nor write fluently, relying on his daughter to act as a scribe while he composed.

Through sheer talent and the spontaneity, orally nurtured tradition of folk expression, he emerged as a voice that shaped the cultural and emotional identity of the Telangana statehood movement.

Even before Telangana was carved out in 2014, ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’, recorded first in 2004 in the voice of singer V. Ramakrishna, had become popular and was widely sung in villages and public gatherings. It symbolized the collective aspiration of the movement and was later re-tuned by music director M.M. Keeravani after the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government took office in December 2023.

For 10 years after formation of Telangana state in 2014, Ande Sri repeatedly urged then chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and the BRS government to declare the song the official anthem of the state, but his requests went unanswered, causing deep anguish.

He openly expressed frustration at the BRS government over being ignored and denied appointment to meet Chandrashekar Rao despite repeated appeals. The situation changed after Revanth Reddy took over as Chief Minister. He invited Ande Sri to his residence, felicitated him, hosted lunch, and held several meetings with him and Keeravani to refine the song for official adoption.

On June 2, 2024, during the Telangana Formation Day celebrations at Parade Ground, the Congress government officially declared ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’ the state song. The anthem was played during the ceremony, fulfilling Ande Sri’s long-cherished wish.

Revanth Reddy also announced a 350-square yard plot in Ghatkesar and a cash award of ₹1 crore to the poet. Ande Sri began construction of a G+3 house soon after, personally supervising works since June. The building is now nearing completion. Even on Sunday, he spent four hours at the site before returning home, feeling feverish and uneasy, and was later found unwell before his passing.

His journey from a cowherd with little adult supervision to a poet of renown was marked by hardship, resilience and grasp of language acquired by listening rather than schooling. Former TJAC chairman and his close associate Prof. M. Kodandaram recalled how Ande Sri transformed childhood disappointments into creative energy, initially weaving verses about village life. His talent was sharpened further after meeting Prof. Biruduraju Rama Raju of Osmania University, a father figure who helped him hone his poetic instincts.

During the peak of the statehood agitation between 2009 and 2014, Ande Sri’s songs travelled far beyond the region, resonating with the Telugu diaspora across the world. Among his earliest songs to gain attention was ‘Nannu ganna na palle andalu chudara’, reflecting on his struggles after his mother’s absence.

His lines “Komma chekkite bomma ra, cheri mokkite amma ra” became popular for their depth and emotional resonance. Songs like ‘Mayamai potunna damma, manishanna vadu’ and ‘Palle neeku vandalu’ elevated his stature, with BRS MLC Deshapati Srinivas describing one of them as virtually his biography.

But it was ‘Jai bolo Telangana, Jana garjana la jadi vana’, featured in the film ‘Jai Bolo Telangana’ in 2011, that brought him mass recognition.

Throughout his life, Ande Sri remained rooted in Telangana’s folk traditions. Contemporary poet and MLC Gorati Venkanna said his works melded traditional moulds with Marxist influences. His association with revolutionary balladeer Gaddar was another significant influence.

Telangana Sahitya Akademi former chairperson Nandini Sidda Reddy, who had known Ande Sri for over three decades, recalled his early performances of songs like ‘Alli billi angura thota’, celebrating the vineyards of Siddipet.

Ande Sri’s first song dedicated to Telangana, ‘Chudu Telangana, chukka leni Telangana’, was sung in 2001 at the first anniversary of the Telangana Writers Forum, an event attended by Chandrashekar Rao even before the formation of the TRS (later BRS). The song left a lasting impression and signalled the beginning of Ande Sri’s deep bond with the movement.

Ande Sri raised the banner of revolt against the Congress government in combined Andhra Pradesh, refusing to sing the official song ‘Maa Telugu Talliki’ at public functions. Once former education minister Dokka Manikya Varaprasad during Congress regime in 2009 appealed to him to sing the song as well as ‘Jaya jaya he, Telangana’, which he refused.

Beyond political and cultural acclaim, Ande Sri received several honours. He also travelled recently to the United States and Egypt, dedicating a new song to world rivers inspired by the Mississippi and the Nile. The song remains unreleased.

Ande Sri’s popular songs

Mayamai potunna damma, manishanna vadu

Palle neeku vandalu

Jai bolo Telangana, Jana garjana la jadi vana

Alli billi angura thota

Chudu Telangana, chukka leni Telangana

Major Awards and Honours:

Nandi Award (2006) for the film ‘Ganga’.

Doctorate from Academy of Universal Global Peace (2014)

Dasharathi Literary Award (2015)

Ravuri Bharadwaja Literary Award (2015)

Nakamma National Award (2022)

Dasharathi Krishnamacharya Literary Award (2024)

Lok Nayak Award

In June 2025, during the Telangana Formation Day celebrations, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy presented Dr. Ande Sri with a cash award of Rs 1 crore and a 350-sq.yard plot in Ghatkesar for his lifelong service to Telangana’s literary and cultural landscape.