Renowned Telangana folk singer Gaddar no more

Telugu film personalities, including mega star Chiranjeevi, also condoled his death.Born as Gummadi Vittal Rao at Toopran in Medak district, the renowned folk singer and poet went on to become popular as Gaddar.Gaddar died at Apollo Spectra Hospital in the city due to lung and urinary problems and advanced age, the hospital said in a statement.He was suffering from severe heart disease and got admitted on July 20.

Renowned Telangana folk singer and balladeer Gaddar, who was popularly known for his revolutionary songs during the 1980s and later during the Telangana statehood agitation, passed away here on Sunday due to ill-health. He was 77.

Top leaders like former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in addition to Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, her Haryana counterpart Bandaru Dattatreya, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy as well as TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, State BJP chief G Kishan Reddy and several other leaders from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh expressed grief at Gaddar's demise. Telugu film personalities, including mega star Chiranjeevi, also condoled his death.

Born as Gummadi Vittal Rao at Toopran in Medak district, the renowned folk singer and poet went on to become popular as 'Gaddar'.

Gaddar died at Apollo Spectra Hospital in the city due to lung and urinary problems and advanced age, the hospital said in a statement.

He was suffering from severe heart disease and got admitted on July 20. He underwent a bypass surgery on August 3 and recovered from it, the hospital said.

However, he had a history of lung and urinary problems, which along with advanced age, became aggravated and led to his passing, it said. A former naxalite, Gaddar had led an underground life, including in the forests.

Subsequently, he had joined the mainstream and voted for the first time in his life in the Telangana Legislative Assembly polls in 2018.

Gaddar, who was shot by assailants in the 1990s, had a bullet stuck in his spinal cord till the end.

His body was taken to L B Stadium in the city to enable people to pay their last respects.

The funeral will take place on Monday.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao ordered that Gaddar's funeral be held with full state honours as a mark of respect to the services to public made by the departed singer.

Venkaiah Naidu said people like Gaddar who dedicated his entire life for the sake of people and folk songs are rarely seen in the society.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, ''Saddened to hear about the demise of Shri Gummadi Vittal Rao, Telangana's iconic poet, balladeer and fiery activist. His (Gaddar) love for the people of Telangana drove him to fight tirelessly for the marginalised. May his legacy continue to inspire us all,'' he said.

Gaddar had attended a Congress public meeting addressed by Rahul Gandhi at Khammam in Telangana on July 2.

Kharge said Gaddar would remain a hope for the aspirations of the weakest sections.

Gaddar's poetry, passionate songs and activism espousing the cause of social justice shall always be a source of inspiration for Telangana and its people, the AICC president said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Gaddar's ''unwavering dedication to social causes and the fight for Telangana's statehood was truly inspiring.'' Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy called Gaddar a revolutionary man. ''He was the voice of the downtrodden and fought for social justice through his inspiring songs,'' Reddy said in a statement, and conveyed his condolences to the singer's family members.

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu also posted on Twitter about the passing away of the popular singer, who is equally famous in both the Telugu states and popular for his revolutionary ballads.

''A prolific chapter in public movement and human rights campaign has come to an end with the passing away of Gaddar. He moved the masses with his voice,'' tweeted Naidu, and expressed his sympathies to the deceased campaigner's family.

Chiranjeevi said the vaccum caused by the demise of Gaddar in people's literature and people's struggles would never be filled.

TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said he is devastated to know that Gaddar's voice has been silenced by death.

Remembering his stellar contribution in achieving statehood for Telangana through his songs, Lokesh said Gaddar had emerged as the voice of the movement. A decade ago, Gaddar's song 'Podustunna Poddu Meeda Nadustunna Kaalama Poru Telanganama' had become the anthem of Telangana achievement movement.

Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy said Gaddar, who played a key role in spreading public awareness on various issues, gave an impetus to the Telangana statehood agitation with his songs.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)