President of India Droupadi Murmu was all praise for the contributions made by eminent personalities from Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) and the Telugu diaspora to the freedom struggle and the country’s development in the respective fields, and the State’s rich culture and heritage.
In her brief speech at the civic reception hosted by the State government here on December 4 (Sunday) on her maiden visit after becoming the President, Ms. Murmu said she was overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on her by Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and the five crore people of A.P., calling them enterprising and industrious.
She said she was happy to come to the divine land of Tirupati Balaji and that she would pray to Him to bless the people of A.P. as it marched forward.
President Droupadi Murmu speaking at the civic reception. | Photo Credit: PTI
Ms. Murmu observed that A.P. had a bounty of natural resources like the Krishna, Godavari, Penna, Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers which made huge tracts of land fertile.
The Telugu language won global acclaim for its richness and versatility, which many literary stalwarts like the ‘Kavitrayam’ (Nannaya, Tikkana and Yerrapragada), ‘Kavayitri’ Molla and Gurajada Appa Rao made even greater through their exemplary works. She also noted that the Kuchipudi dance became world famous.
The President further said Pingali Venkaiah (the designer of the national flag), Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, V.V. Giri, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, Sarojini Naidu, Durgabai Deshmukh, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Yellapragada Subbarow and a host of other leaders who either hailed from A.P. or had a close association with it made their mark in Indian history in diverse fields.
She wished that A.P. would make rapid strides in the future under the able guidance of the Governor and Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership.
An inspiration for women: Jagan
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said Ms. Murmu rose from her humble origins to become the President of India and that she was an inspiration for the tribal communities to which she belongs, and women at large.
He called Ms. Murmu a socialist, democrat and a tireless worker for the downtrodden sections, whose ascent to the country’s highest constitutional post was exemplary.
Earlier, Mr. Harichandan, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy and A.P. High Court Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra felicitated the President.
