Forty five years ago a campaign led by Tenneti Viswanatham put Visakhapatnam in the national map. His slogan ‘Visakha Ukku Andhrula hakku' saw the setting up of a world class integrated steel plant in the ‘City of destiny'.
Since 1982, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant or Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited has been producing world class quality steel and now it has brought out a quality coffee table book to showcase its achievement and the glory of Andhra Pradesh to potential readers across the globe.
In the CMD's message, the Chairman cum Managing Director of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant P.K. Bishnoi writes, “The steel plant has a corporate social responsibility, which includes socio-economic development and environmental and cultural up-liftment. One way of giving some thing back to the people of Andhra Pradesh, as a token of appreciation is to produce this pictorial book to spread the message near and wide.”
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The book focuses on the fascinating landscape, arts and crafts and cultural heritage of Andhra Pradesh. It will be presented to dignitaries in India and abroad through various embassies in India and abroad.
The book begins with a brief history of the state, touching various aspects of its demographics and geographical features.
It gives an elaborate description of the state's literature heritage and growth, touching the lives and works of personalities like Nannaya Bhatta, Palkuriki Somanatha, Baddena, Srinatha, Bammera Potharaju, C.P. Brown, Gidugu Venkata Ramamurti, Dasaradhi Krishnamacharya, Dasaradhi Rangacharya, Annamacharya, Kshetrayya, Thyagaraja, Tikkana, Vemana, Ramadas, Gurazada Appa Rao, Kandukuri Veeresalingam, Sri Sri, Suravaram Pratap Reddy, Kaloji Narayana Rao, Gurram Joshuva, Viswanatha Satyanarayana and C. Narayana Reddy.
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Through high quality pictorial and graphic content, the readers are transported back to the glory of the Golconda period and the grandeur of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Flipping through the pages, one gets the feel of the rich landscape of the state, right from the highlands of the Araku valley to the plains of Konaseema region.
In the sites and monuments section, almost all heritage landmarks in AP from the Buddhist to the medieval period to the modern era are covered in both pictorial and written content.
The book also gives a detail on various Andhra traditions and festivals, dance forms, paintings, sculpture, arts and crafts, textile and ornaments and music.
It dedicates a section for the pathfinders or luminaries who shaped the future of the state. In the end the coffee table book pays a tribute to the ‘City of destiny' through the lens.
The book was edited by the Director of Centre for Policy Studies and former Rector of Andhra Pradesh A. Prasanna Kumar and designed by J. Nagireddy of Designmouse.
The Corporate Communications Department of VSP also played and major role in its content and design.