Eminent Telugu writer, linguist, and literary critic Chekuri Rama Rao breathed his last on Thursday, owing to cardiac arrest. He was 80 years, and survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.
Hailing from Illindalapadu village near Madhira of Khammam district, Dr.Rao got his doctorate in Linguistics from Cornell University, USA.
He carved himself a niche in the Telugu literary world through his incisive literary analyses and critiques. His was the final word when it came to reviews of literary works in prose by contemporary writers.
His columns in Telugu newspapers under the title ‘Cherathalu’ explored the nuances of feminist, minority and Dalit writings and poetry, and were widely read before being published as a book. He is also credited with publishing another stellar work on the syntax of Telugu sentence, titled ‘Telugu Vakyam’, and for putting together an English-Telugu dictionary for journalists.
Known to have mentored and encouraged three generations of young writers, Dr.Rao was also the sole authority on the world-renowned American linguist Noam Chomsky. His effort was notable for standardisation of colloquial language. A professor of Linguistics in the Osmania University, he played a critical role in the establishment of Telugu University, and served as the first chairman of the ‘Bhasha Abhivruddhi Peetham’ of the university. He was given the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award in 2002, for his compendium of essays ‘Smrithikinankam’.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N.Chandrababu Naidu, through a press release, expressed deep shock at Dr.Rao’s demise, and offered condolences to the bereaved family.
