Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Family members of legendary actor, former Chief Minister and founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), paid heartfelt tributes on the occasion of his 30th death anniversary on Sunday.

At the NTR Ghat in Hyderabad, NTR’s son and Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s spouse Nara Bhuvaneswari, Nandamuri Ramakrishna, Suhasini and other family members, offered floral tributes at the memorial and observed a moment of silence in his remembrance.

Speaking on the occasion, Balakrishna said NTR had left an indelible mark in both cinema and politics that continues to inspire generations. Recalling his father’s extraordinary journey, he said greatness demands unwavering discipline, dedication and sacrifice, qualities that NTR possessed in abundance.

“NTR will live as long as the sun and moon endure. In cinema, he portrayed roles no one else dared to attempt, bringing characters to life with unmatched intensity and innovation. His performances reflected true transformation,” Balakrishna said.

He noted that NTR revolutionised Telugu politics by founding the Telugu Desam Party and breaking the monopoly of a few over public life. “He made politics accessible to common people and stood firmly with the poor and marginalised, as he understood their hunger and hardship,” he added.

Balakrishna said several welfare initiatives introduced by NTR during his tenure later became models for schemes implemented across the country. He also recalled landmark irrigation projects such as Telugu Ganga and Galeru-Nagari, which transformed drought-prone regions and benefitted thousands of farmers. “The TDP continues to move forward inspired by his vision,” he affirmed.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for IT and Education Nara Lokesh visited the NTR Ghat earlier in the day and offered floral tributes at his grandfather’s memorial. Taking to social media platform X, Lokesh posted an emotional message remembering NTR as the torchbearer of Telugu self-respect and a globally celebrated thespian.

“Tributes to the legendary actor, great leader and symbol of Telugu pride on his death anniversary. The fact that people worshipped images of the mythological characters he portrayed in their homes as deities is a blessing granted to NTR alone. Though you are no longer with us physically, you continue to live eternally in the hearts of Telugu people,” Lokesh wrote.