The year 2017 was rich in cultural content throughout, which was capped by the World Telugu Conference towards the end.
The year started with an international kite festival from January 13 to January 15 at the Aga Khan Academy and was interspersed with the Abu international dance festival in association with Doordarshan at Shilpakala Vedika on the last day.
The birth anniversary of saint and poet Bhakta Ramadas, whose original name was Kancherla Gopanna, was celebrated in a grand manner at his birth place of Nelakondapally in Bhadrachalam district between January 31 and February 2.
About 135 artists from Jammu and Kashmir performed their art forms at Jangaon, Warangal and Hyderabad in February as part of a cultural exchange programme with the State government.
An international theatre festival, Bharat Rang Mahotsav, held in association with the National School of Drama in New Delhi attracted huge crowds at Ravindra Bharati. International theatre groups from Israel, Turkey and U.K. and national ones from Manipur and other States presented plays from February 11 to 16.
The Telangana - Kerala heritage festival at Lalitha Kala Thoranam was held from February 25 to February 27 and a national tribal festival was held at the same venue between March 3 and March 5. In a first, the Telangana government honoured 24 women achievers with ₹1 lakh each as part of the international women’s day celebrations on March 8.
The world poetry day was observed on March 21 with the theme `translated poems’ at Ravindra Bharati. Over 100 folk and tribal artistes from eight States participated in the Lok Jan Pratha Uthsav at Warangal from March 26 to March 28.
The Bhakta Ramadasu Charitham dance ballet was held at Ravindra Bharati on April 13.
Cultural programmes for the centenary celebrations of Osmania University were designed to reflect the 100 year journey of the university and its students.
The government extended State funeral for the literary legend C. Narayan Reddy and also organised his 87th birth anniversary at the Ravindra Bharati later. The centenary celebrations of the pillar of Saraswatha Parishath Devulapalli Ramanuja Rao and another icon Kaloji Narayana Rao were also organised in a befitting manner.
Among the theatre programmes, the noteworthy were Surabhi Nataka Saptaham and the God, monkey and devil play at Ravindra Bharati.
Ten new Telangana oriented plays -- Andakara Nagaram, Sandesham, Interview, Mattavva, Vinashi, Swamy Kalyanam, Kanaktara, Oosaravelli, Annadata Sukheebhava and Sardar Sarwai Papanna -- were staged as part of Telangana Yuva Natakotsavam. The Qadir Ali Baig theatre festival drew a large crowd.
