Rich tributes paid to NTR in Telangana on his birth anniversary

TDP leaders and others garlanded the statues of NTR at different places in Telangana on the occasion. He formed the TDP in 1982.

Rich tributes were paid in Telangana to legendary N T Rama Rao on his 99th birth anniversary on Saturday with some ruling TRS leaders favouring Bharat Ratna to the departed leader.

Rama Rao's grandsons and popular film stars Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram paid floral tributes to him at the NTR Ghat here.

NTR's daughter and BJP leader D Purandeshwari and other family members also paid homage to Rama Rao, founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and a Telugu film legend.

Purandeshwari said she and other family members have decided to celebrate NTR's centenary in a grand manner for one-year beginning Saturday.

Meanwhile, several Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders, including party MP Nama Nageswara Rao and state Labour Minister Ch Malla Reddy, also paid tributes to Rama Rao.

Observing that NTR (as he his popularly known) was a pioneer in welfare measures, Nageswara Rao favoured honouring the legend with the Bharat Ratna award.

State BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a statement recalled Rama Rao's stellar contributions, including his performances as a film actor and path-breaking welfare measures like one kg rice for Rs 2 during his tenure as chief minister. TDP leaders and others garlanded the statues of NTR at different places in Telangana on the occasion. Hailed as 'Nata Sarvabhouma' (Emperor of Acting) in Telugu, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, was born on May 28, 1923 at Nimmakuru in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. He formed the TDP in 1982.