Date:17/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/17/stories/2008081757590200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Telugu cultural centre planned

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Andhra Pradesh Government will take up issues, including the need to encourage meritorious students in Telugu at the high school and higher secondary school level, relaxation of 1:40 student–teacher ratio rule in linguistic minority institutions, the availability of textbooks in Telugu and the setting of question papers in Telugu, with the Tamil Nadu Government.

This was stated by Andhra Pradesh School Education Minister C. Damodara Raja Narasimha here on Friday. Speaking at a function organised by the All India Telugu Federation (AITF), he said a delegation would meet the Tamil Nadu Education Minister and also discuss issues pertaining to the setting up of a Telugu Academy and a Telugu Cultural Centre.

He said that the cultural centre would be set up in association with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams and the Andhra Pradesh Government would provide funds if need be. These would help safeguard and promote Telugu language, culture and traditions. He said the Telugu Academy would be on the lines of the Urdu Academy set up in Andhra Pradesh.

“People from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa in Andhra Pradesh were being provided all assistance. Likewise we expect the State Government here to reciprocate and respect our people here.”

AITF office-bearers, including its president C.M.K. Reddy, general secretary M.V. Narayana Gupta, media advisor G.V.S.R. Krishnamurthy and actor Gollapudi Maruthi Rao spoke on the occasion.