The pride of Telugu people, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao’s statue, would be erected in Andaman and Nicobar Islands soon. People settled on the islands are planning to install the statue of veteran film actor and founder president of the Telugu Desam Party.
Nearly 80,000 people from various districts of Andhra Pradesh are settled in the islands. Telugu people are staying in Hadoo area and the TDP is having good support in the islands, says M. Kondaiah, an assistant professor in the Jawaharlal Nehru Rajakeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM) College, located in Port Blair.
“My father worked as watchman in the Medical and Health department in Andamans. After completing education, I got job and I settled there,” said Mr. Kondaiah who visited Andhra Pradesh recently.
Speaking on the political activity in the islands, the assistant professor said the TDP, BJP and other national and regional parties are functioning in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Most of the people enrolled as the TDP members.
A Telugu settler, Veera Raghavulu, served as municipal chairman some time back, and now an AP candidate was elected as ward member.
“An Andhra Welfare Association has been formed to discuss on the problems of Telugu people, if any. The cinema theatres will screen Telugu films along with films of other regional languages. Very soon we will finalise the place for installing the statue of NTR, which would be the first Telugu leader’s replica in Andaman Islands,” said Mr. Kondaiah.