Hyderabad: The 2026 Kaloji Literary Award was presented to noted poet V.R. Vidyarthi during Kaloji Narayana Rao’s birth anniversary celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi on Wednesday.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao presented the award to Vidyarthi, whose original name is Veluri Ramulu. Vidyarthi was known as a “soldier poet” and a poet with recognition across continents. Jupally congratulated him and wished him continued success.
The Minister called on poets and writers such as Vidyarthi to inherit Kaloji’s literary legacy and carry it forward. He described Kaloji as the voice of the people and a symbol of Telangana’s self-respect.
Jupally said Telangana people’s lives, suffering, hopes, aspirations, struggles and self-respect had found clear expression in Kaloji’s writings.
Kaloji Literary Award event recalls ‘Naa Godava’
Jupally said Kaloji’s celebrated work “Naa Godava” did not represent merely the poet’s personal struggle. Instead, Kaloji treated the struggles of oppressed, suffering and ordinary people as his own, the Minister said.
He described Kaloji as a people’s poet who used his writing to articulate public problems. Jupally also highlighted Kaloji’s strong belief in Telangana’s language and dialect.
He said Kaloji’s presidential address at the first convention of the Telangana Writers’ Forum held significance in modern Telangana literary history. That address focused on Telangana’s life and language, he said.
Kaloji strongly believed writers should use the language spoken by ordinary people, according to Jupally. The poet had also opposed an inferiority complex about whether people outside Telangana would understand its language, the Minister said.
Kaloji Literary Award highlights Telangana dialect
Jupally said Kaloji viewed language as having two broad forms. One was the formal language taught in schools and found in books and scholarly writings. The other was the naturally spoken language used by ordinary people.
Kaloji believed that people’s everyday language reflected the realities of life more authentically, the Minister said. He added that Kaloji had used poetry as the medium for his struggles.
The poet communicated his ideas directly and simply in the language of the people. Consequently, his writings became more accessible to ordinary readers. Jupally said Kaloji gave Telangana’s dialect, language and everyday expressions a respected place in literature.
Through his writings, Kaloji demonstrated that the language spoken by people represented the language of their hearts, he added. The poet also challenged attitudes that looked down upon the Telangana dialect, Jupally said.
The Minister said language was more than a tool for communication. It reflected a people’s history, culture, way of life and self-respect, he said.
Jupally said Telangana observed Kaloji’s birth anniversary as Telangana Language Day to carry forward the inspiration provided by the poet. The Kaloji Literary Award presentation formed a key part of the birth anniversary celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi.
Telangana Samskrutika Sarathi chairperson Vennela Gaddar attended the programme. Language and Culture Department Director Enugu Narasimha Reddy and NITHM Director Venkataramana also participated in the celebrations.