Vinayak Narahari Bhave, also known as Vinoba Bhave, was an Indian advocate of nonviolence and human rights. Often called Acharya, he is best known for the Bhoodan Movement. He is considered as National Teacher of India and the spiritual successor of Mahatma Gandhi. He was an eminent philosopher. The Gita has been translated into the Marathi language by him with the title Geetai.
Ghantasala Venkateswararao, known mononymously by his surname as Ghantasala, was an Indian playback singer and film composer known for his works predominantly in Telugu and Kannada cinema and also in Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu and Hindi language films. He is considered one of the greatest singers of Telugu cinema. In 1970, he received the Padma Shri award, India's fourth highest civilian award for his contribution to Indian cinema. According to The Hindu and The Indian Express, Ghantasala was 'such a divine talent and with his songs he could move the hearts of the people'. 'Ghantasala's blending of classical improvisations to the art of light music combined with his virtuosity and sensitivity puts him a class apart, above all others in the field of playback singing'. Gifted with what Indian film historian V. A. K. Ranga Rao called 'the most majestic voice', Ghantasala helped Telugu film music develop its own distinct character which remains unparalleled. He is referred to as the 'Gaana Gandharva' for his mesmerising voice and musical skills.
Telugu literature is the body of works written in the Telugu language. It consists of poems, short stories, novels, plays, and song lyrics, among others. There is some indication that Telugu literature dates at least to the middle of the first millennium, the first extant works are from the 11th century when the Mahabharata was first translated to Telugu from Sanskrit by Nannaya. The language has experienced a golden age under the patronage of the Vijayanagara Emperor-Poet Krishnadevaraya.
Telugu theatre is Indian theatre in the Telugu language, based in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Gurajada Apparao wrote the play, Kanyasulkam in 1892, which is often considered the greatest play in the Telugu language. C. Pullaiah is cited as the father of Telugu theatre movement.
Tanikella Bharani is an Indian actor, screenwriter, poet, playwright and director who works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has worked as an actor in more than 750 films, including some in Tamil and Hindi; while he was also screenwriter for 52 films. He has won three Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Awards.
Tikkavarapu Subbarami Reddy is an Indian industrialist, politician, film producer, and a philanthropist. In 1993 he produced the Sanskrit film Bhagavad Gita, which garnered the National Film Award for Best Feature Film at the 40th National Film Awards.
Vedantam Raghavayya was an Indian film director, dance choreographer, Kuchipudi exponent, actor, producer, and musician known for his works in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre, and Tamil cinema. Raghavayya was an accomplished Kuchipudi dancer, who was awarded "Bharata Kala Prapurna" in dance by the Andhra Pradesh government.
The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture, which is part of the epic Mahabharata. It forms the chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma Parva. The work is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE.
Puripanda Appala Swamy (1904–1982), also spelled Appalaswamy, was a linguist, writer, translator, journalist and editor.
Nataraja Ramakrishna was an Indian dance guru. He was the chairman of Andhra Pradesh Sangeeta Nataka Academy. He was also a scholar and musicologist who promoted classical dance in Andhra Pradesh and worldwide.
Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao was an Indian writer, composer and poet in the Telugu language. He was the son of Balantrapu Venkatarao, one of modern Telugu poet-duo "Kavi Rajahamsa" Venkata Parvateswara Kavulu. He won several national and state level awards for his work. He died in April 2018 at the age of 98.
Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma was a noted composer of Carnatic music, singer, Telugu litterateur, teacher and Sanskrit scholar. He was responsible for discovering, cataloguing and putting to music many forgotten compositions of Annamacharya. These compositions composed hundreds of years agearlierame back to life thanks to Sharma's efforts and successive singers like S. P. Balasubramanyam and M. S. Subbalakshmi would sing many of them, hence popularising them. Sharma authored prose works like Vemana, Natakopanyasamulu,Ganakale,Sahitya Mattu Jeevana Kale and Saraswatalokamu. Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma translated 395 Gathas from original Prakrit into Telugu language titled Shalivahana Gatha Sapta Saramu in 1931. Sharma is the recipient of Central Sangeet & Natak Academy Fellowship (1973), Gana Kala Sindhu (1961), Gana Kala Prapoorna (1969), Sangeeta Kala Ratna (1974) and Sangeeta Sahitya Asthan Vidwan honours with an Honorary Doctorate from TTD University, Andhra Pradesh.
Ramajogayya Sastry is an Indian film lyricist, known for his works in Telugu cinema and music.
Kanaala Nanjunda Tirumala Sastry was an Indian film critic, screenwriter, director, littérateur, and producer, known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. He has garnered six National Film Awards, three Nandi Awards and three International honors.
Bhagavad Gita is a 1993 Indian Sanskrit-language drama film with few dialogues in Hindi and Telugu language. It was produced by T. Subbarami Reddy and directed by G. V. Iyer. The film is based on Hindu religious book Bhagavad Gita, which is part of the epic Mahabharata.
The Kala Ratna (Telugu: కళారత్న) earlier Hamsa Award, is a civilian honour of the Andhra Pradesh state are conferred annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and is organised by the State Cultural Council and Department of Culture on the occasion of Telugu new year, Ugadi. The awards celebrate achievements by persons of eminence in their chosen fields. The awardees are from the fields of literature, music, dance, painting, sculpture, folk and tribal arts. Along with Kala Ratna awards, the Andhra Pradesh government presents Ugadi Puraskarams on the same stage.
Vavilikolanu Subba Rao or Andhra Valmiki or Vaasu Daasa Swami was a Sanskrit scholar and a Telugu poet, often known by the epithet Andhra Valmiki.
Dantu Muralikrishna is an Indian scientist, writer and singer based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Komaravolu Sivaprasad is a whistling musician in the Carnatic tradition. He is the first professional whistling artist in Indian classical music. He was awarded the title Kala Ratna by the Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2016.
