Telugu Samskrutika Niketanam, reflecting Telugu culture and its history, atop Kailasagiri is expected to be ready by this year-end.
“All efforts will be made to mobilise the resources for the completion of the niketanam. We will seek an appointment with President Pranab Mukherjee and ask him whether he could come for the inauguration,” Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandeswari told reporters on Monday evening after going around the museum along with A P Hindi Academy Chairman Y. Lakshmi Prasad, representing World Telugu Federation.
Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) has committed itself to spend Rs.4.5 crore on civil structures, parking, approach road and landscaping. World Telugu Federation proposed to spend Rs. 3 crore and has so far spent Rs.7.5 crore. Another Rs. 3 crore to Rs.4 crore is required for the completion.
Ms. Purandeswari said she would consider allotting funds from her MPLAD funds and also seek the support of public sector units towards corporate social responsibility.
WTF was launched by her father and late Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao in 1993 and he addressed its first meeting at Chennai as Chief Minister later.
WTF had decided to showcase Telugu culture by constructing a Niketanam with government participation. That’s how VUDA came to be associated with it.
Sound and light show
Dr. Lakshmi Prasad said VUDA participation had become a reality because of the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. Jananpith award winner C. Narayana Reddy and Potti Sriramulu Telugu University Vice-Chancellor Elluri Siva Reddy were leading a team to prepare the script on the 39 episodes on display being readied by noted art director Thota Tarani.
Actor Sai Kumar will lend his voice to an hour-long sound and light show.
For younger generation of Telugus or national and international tourists the visit to the cultural centre would help them understand the glory of Telugu culutre, Dr. Lakshmi Prasad added. Ms. Indira Dutt is the president of WTF. Exuding confidence that all work would be completed by the year-end, Mr. Sasidhar said a kuccha road would be provided to the centre with a view to develop it later as an alternative road to Kailasagiri, in case the present one could not be operated for some reason.
It was also proposed to provide a multi-lingual audio guide to visitors to the niketanam. VUDA Chief Engineer I. Viswanatha Rao was present.
