Noted revolutionary poet Nellutla Kodanda Rama Rao, popularly known as NK, died here late Saturday night. He was 70 and survived by wife, two daughters and a son. NK was one of the founder members of Viplava Rachayitala Sangham (Virasam) – group of revolutionary poets. He belonged to first generation Naxalbari poets in early 1970s along with Kondapalli Sitaramaiah, K.G. Satyamurthy, Tarimella Nagi Reddy and others.
He was a close associate of noted poet Varavara Rao and took to revolutionary path in writing. His father Nellutla Ramakrishna was also a popular poet in Telangana. Rao worked as Assistant Registrar at Kakatiya University. In 1980s, he wrote a 17 page long poem ‘lal bano, ghulami chodo, bolo Vandemataram’ which punned on the call ‘lal ghulami chodkar bolo Vandemataram’ given by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad asking people to give up Leftist struggles. The poem, which was written to inspire radical students who frequently quarrelled with the ABVP, earned him fame.
NK wrote his autobiography under the title “Amma Sparsha”. He went to jail during the Telangana agitation in 1969 and again during Emergency in 1975.
He was the main singer and poet for all people’s movements in Warangal. He also prepared the tune and sang several songs written by Satyamurthy from jail. On learning about his sudden demise, Kaloji foundation convenor Nagilla RamaSastry, Mithra Mandali convenor V R Vidyarthi and poet Potlapalli Srinivasa Rao visited the hospital to pay tributes.
VaravaraRao expressed shock and grief at his demise.The funeral would be held on Monday on return of his daughters from the US. A procession would be taken from his residence in Kumarpally.
