Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy marked the death anniversary of revolutionary balladeer Gaddar by recalling his cultural and ideological contributions to the statehood movement.
Calling him a pillar of the Telangana agitation, the chief minister said Gaddar, despite coming from a poor family and pursuing an engineering education, had rejected personal ambition to fight for basic rights—food, shelter, and dignity for all. Revanth said Gaddar dedicated his life to awakening the masses through song, never turning away from the path of conviction.
He spoke of a personal connection with the activist-artist and described him as an inseparable force in the second phase of the Telangana struggle, having energised the movement through multiple cultural platforms and grassroots organisations.
June 14 declared as Telangana Film Awards Day in Gaddar’s name
Revanth noted that Gaddar had transformed poetry into resistance and song into a political weapon. Despite setbacks, he had remained steadfast in his beliefs, becoming a symbol of the people’s war.
As a tribute, the government had instituted the Telangana Film Awards in his name, first presented on June 14 to prominent film artists. The chief minister said the state would continue to officially observe both Gaddar’s birth and death anniversaries. He added that the people’s government was committed to advancing Gaddar’s vision and ideas.
