Yogi Vemana guiding force for society: Collector

Kurnool: District Collector Dr. A. Siri said that the teachings of Yogi Vemana serve as a guiding force for society and remain highly relevant in contemporary times. She described Vemana as a people’s poet who conveyed profound life truths in simple language, making his philosophy accessible to all sections of society.

The Yogi Vemana Jayanti celebrations were held on Monday morning at the Sunayana Auditorium in the Collectorate premises under the aegis of SETKUR. On the occasion, District Collector Dr. A. Siri, Joint Collector Noorul Khameer, SETKUR CEO Venu Gopal, and other senior officials paid floral tributes to the portrait of Yogi Vemana and observed the occasion with reverence.

Addressing the gathering, the Collector said Yogi Vemana, a 17th-century poet-philosopher from present-day Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, was not only a literary icon but also a social reformer and thinker. Through his verses, Vemana strongly opposed caste discrimination, superstition, and social evils, while advocating truth, righteousness, honesty, inner purity, and self-realisation. His teachings, she said, continue to act as a moral compass for society.

Dr. A. Siri further noted that Vemana used the “Ataveladi” metre and concluded his poems with the signature line “Viswadaabhirama Vinura Vema,” which became his hallmark. She recalled that British Collector C.P. Brown played a key role in collecting and translating Vemana’s verses into English, taking his philosophy to a global audience. SETKUR CEO Venu Gopal said the State government officially observes Yogi Vemana Jayanti every year on January 19 to promote ethical values and social awareness among the youth.

Joint Collector NoorulKhameer, DRO Venkatanarayanamma, Housing PD Chiranjeevi, and other district officials were present.