Veteran Telugu poet Ande Sri passed away on Monday in Hyderabad at the age of 64. Ande had written Telangana's state song 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana'.
According to reports, Ande Sri was found lying on the floor of his residence in the morning. He was rushed to hospital by family members, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Ande Sri is best known for his emotive poetry and film songs. He was one of the major contributors to the Telangana movement, which led to the creation of the 29th state, Telangana, in 2014, carved out of Andhra Pradesh. Currently, Telangana is the 28th state of India, as after the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu & Kashmir became a Union Territory, reducing the number of states in India.
Remembering the veteran poet, former Naxalite and Congress MLA Danasari Seethakka wrote in a post on X, "His sharp songs and writings stood as the very breath of the Telangana movement. They echoed the aspirations of the people. His songs always questioned authority and fought for a democratic Telangana."
"Ande Sri's 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana' will continue to be sung as the official anthem as long as Telangana exists. It will forever remind us of his inspiration," she added.
After the formation of the state in 2014, the newly elected state government recognised Ande Sri's composition 'Jaya Jayahe Telangana' as the state song.
Sri made his presence felt in the hearts of people through his revolutionary poetry that spoke about the struggles of people belonging to the lower rungs of society. Later, he started writing songs for Telugu films.
He was honoured by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in December 2023, who presented Ande Sri with a Rs 1 crore cash award during the Telangana Formation Day celebrations
