Unrecognisible faces, missing names

Visakhapatnam: The World Telugu Samskrithika Niketan, touted as one-of-its kind in the world, has some glaring omissions. The entrance has medallions of 70 prominent Telugus who had contributed immensely to fine arts, literature, social service, and in political fields.

Of three medallions in chief ministers’ gallery one of them is not at all recognisable and there is no name engraved on it to identify the person. The other two are being former chief ministers NT Rama Rao and YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

Asked about the same, officials and art director Thota Tarani were at loss to explain the missing name. Worse, neither could they recognise the person.

``The unknown chief minister could be N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh under whose tenure the state was divided,’’ quipped a member of WTF. Similarly, a portrait or a medallion of the founder of Andhra Pradesh, Potti Sreeramulu, was conspicuous by its absence. The portrait of national flag designer Pingali Venkaiah was also depicted in a poor form in the central hall, and people have to seek help to recognise the portrait.

Meanwhile, VUDA officials say there is no portrait of Venkaiah but they had put the national flag instead pointing to the apathy in installing medallions and portrait in the museum. As a saving grace, the life size statue of NT Rama Rao was erected in the last minute at the entrance of the Niketan.