Rich tributes were paid to Andhra’s first Chief Minister Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu on the occasion of his 143th birth anniversary across the State on Sunday.
At Vinodarayinipalem in Prakasam district, his birthplace, the villagers led by sarpanch Raja Babu took a pledge to collectively work for all-round development of the village with due support from the Union and State Governments.
“Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is keen on making the village the best in education, health and other socio-economic development indicators with people’s whole-hearted participation,” Parakala Prabhakar, Communications Advisor to Government of A.P said amid loud cheers.
Transport Minister Siddha Raghava Rao said: “Andhra Pradesh is now in a similar situation when the first linguistic state was carved out of Madras presidency then and people should strive for development”.
T. Gopalakrishna, Prakasam Pantulu’s grandson, urged the Government to observe his birth anniversary as ‘gram swaraj’ for dedicating to the cause of self-reliant villages envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi and Prakasam Pantulu.
Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju said at Vizianagaram that the real tribute to Tanguturi would be to prove that Indians are not inferior to other nationals.
Garlanding the late leader’s portrait at Collector’s auditorium, he said Prakasam Pantulu would be remembered forever for his relentless fight for linguistic states. It is our responsibility to keep the present generation informed about sacrifices of freedom fighters for an independent nation, he asserted. Rural Development Minister Kimidi Mrunalini and others took part.
A role model
Paying floral tributes to Prakasam Pantulu at Prakasam barrage in Vijayawada, Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao recalled his heroics during the freedom movement and called upon youth to take him as their role model.
District Collector Ch. Vijaya Mohan exhorted students in a programme held at Kurnool on the occasion to forge ahead with determination and grit to achieve their goals by drawing inspiration from Prakasam Pantulu. Paying tributes to Andhra Kesari, he recalled that Prakasam lost his father at the tender age of 11 and faced difficulties owing to poverty but rose to exalted positions.
The Collector announced that a library would be started at Chanakyapuri with books useful for students of higher education in recognition of his services.
