Doubts persist on Telugu, Sanskrit Academy HQ

Tirupati: The government’s actions are at variance with its announcement of Telugu Sanskrit Academy’s headquarters being established in Tirupati. Despite the official announcement, there has been no progress towards setting up the academy’s permanent office in Tirupati. Instead, all the academy’s activities are currently being conducted from Vijayawada. This disconnect between the government’s words in the name of regional development and actions raises apprehensions among the language lovers that it may be shifted from here finally.

In June 2020, the state government unveiled plans to create a new institution under the name ‘AP Telugu Sanskrit Academy,’ in light of the existing Telugu academy’s location in Hyderabad.

The establishment of this separate academy allowed the state to acquire approximately Rs 120 crore worth of immovable properties that had remained undivided since the state’s bifurcation.

However, since the initial announcement, there has been little to no progress, save for the setup of a temporary office at the SV Dairy premises. It has come to light that, initially, 13 personnel were assigned to work at the Tirupati office, but no files or other materials were transferred. Printing activities continued at a press located in Edupugallu near Vijayawada. To this day, the government has not appointed a regular director for the Academy, instead assigning additional responsibilities to Inspector General V. Rama Krishna in the Registrations and Stamps department.

Chairperson N Lakshmi Parvathi continues to make sporadic visits to Tirupati. In recent times, all 13 staff members working in Tirupati were temporarily reassigned to Vijayawada ‘on duty’, leading to the complete closure of the Tirupati centre.

Language enthusiasts, who initially celebrated the government’s decision to establish the academy in Tirupati, had high hopes for its role in advancing Telugu and Sanskrit languages and literature. However, doubts arose regarding the academy’s continued presence in Tirupati in June 2023. During that period, Lakshmi Parvathi visited Tirupati and explored potential locations for the permanent office indicating that it will continue here only beyond any doubts.

The proponents of having a state-level academy in Tirupati argue that it would greatly benefit local students.

Notably, the city is home to the National Sanskrit University, Oriental Research Institute, and Telugu departments in SV University and SP Mahila Visvavidyalayam, where substantial research is ongoing.

P Naveen Kumar Reddy, convenor of the Rayalaseema Porata Samithi, questions the lack of any observable activities and insists on the continuation of Academy in Tirupati, urging efforts to fully realise its role in the development of Telugu and Sanskrit languages.