Visakhapatnam : Appeal for another 'Ratnam' to be added to 'Navaratnalu'

Visakhapatnam : Appreciating the governance of Telugu states, mridangam maestro Yella Venkateswara Rao mentioned that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have doled out a number of welfare schemes for various communities.

Emphasising that the governments should also focus on uplifting the artistes' community, the mridangam maestro recalled how artistes from various states flourished during Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi period. "It was during the same time, performing arts academies came into existence. Those were the times when funds were allotted to art and culture. However, the present government is not evincing keen interest in developing the domain," the mridangam maestro pointed out when he was in the city, visiting Simhachalam.

Born in Bhimavaram, Yella Venkateswara Rao lives in Hyderabad. He says that the absence of encouragement for the performing arts has eventually dissuaded seasoned artistes from taking the plunge and doused the enthusiasm of the budding artistes to grow in their respective streams.

Recipient of Rashtrapati Award for five times, Yella Venkateswara Rao opined that the present generation is distancing itself from the performing arts. "Unless the youngsters get involved in music and arts, the future generation will remain deprived of Indian culture and tradition," he observes.

Speaking about the film industry, Yella Venkateswara Rao opines that the industry is being backed by the government and there are sufficient actors, musicians and artistes in the field. "But when it comes to performing arts, the field is steadily witnessing a declining trend. Fortunately, in our family, even the seventh-generation children are involved in various streams of music and arts. This is made possible because of the family's encouragement and support," Yella Venkateswara Rao explains.

By organising music sabhas, presenting awards to outstanding artistes, providing funds for the music and culture department to carry out national-level cultural events, the mridangam maestro says that such steps would help the field to retain its lost glory. Lauding Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's 'navaratnalu', the mridangam maestro hopes that a similar flagship scheme would be rolled out for the artistes so that their livelihood will sustain and arts flourish.