Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Renowned Telangana poet Ande Sri, who died following a brief illness, was laid to rest with police honours at Ghatkesar near here on Tuesday. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy carried the bier and took part in the burial as a mark of respect. He was accompanied by several ministers who paid floral tributes to the poet and consoled his grieving family members.

Speaking to reporters, Reddy described Ande Sri’s death as a personal loss and said the state government would write to the Centre recommending the Padma Shri award for him. Reddy announced that ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’ would be included in the school curriculum. Describing the poet’s work ‘Nippula Vaagu’ as “a guide like the Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran for those fighting for Telangana’s people,” Reddy said 20,000 copies would be published and distributed to libraries across the state.

Ande Sri, the author of Telangana’s iconic state song ‘Jaya Jaya He Telangana’, died in Hyderabad on Monday at the age of 64. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and other leaders condoled his death. Kishan Reddy and several leaders paid floral tributes to the poet on Monday.

Revanth announces memorial park

Chief Minister  A. Revanth Reddy  said the government will establish a memorial park in memory of Ande Sri and also provide a government job to one of the writer's family members. The collection of songs “Nippula Vaagu” will serve as a guide like Bhagawad Gita, Bible and Quran for those fighting on Telangana issues. 20,000  books will be published  and made available the books in every library in the state, Revanth Reddy said.