Eminent scholar Garikapati Narasimha Rao. File.
| Photo Credit: GIRI KVS
Telugu language scholar and spiritual orator Garikapati Narasimha Rao on Saturday (February 28, 2026) called for renaming Andhra Pradesh State as ‘Telugu Naadu’ on the lines of ‘Tamil Nadu’.
Addressing the gathering of literary personalities during the inaugural address of the third Telugu Prapancha Mahasabha (World Telugu Conference) in Amalapuram, Mr. Narasimha Rao stated: “I do not hesitate to clarify that Andhra Pradesh is not a Telugu word”.
It is being called Andhra Pradesh on the lines of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, added Mr. Narasimha Rao.
Mr. Narasimha Rao claimed that the people of Andhra Pradesh are not as affectionate toward the Telugu language as the people of Kerala are toward Malayalam.
“Our affection for the Telugu language will be visible only after Andhra Pradesh is named after ‘Telugu Naadu‘ as envisioned by Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR)”, said Mr. Narasimha Rao.
Read | Kerala to become ‘Keralam’: Union Cabinet approves change of name
First voice
Legendary Telugu actor NTR (1923-1996) floated Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982 with a motto to protect the self-respect of Telugu-speaking people.
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Referring to the Central Cabinet resolution to rename Kerala as Keralam, Mr. Narasimha Rao observed: “Mr. NTR strove hard to rename Andhra Pradesh as ‘Telugu Naadu’ on the lines of ‘Tamil Nadu’. The people of Andhra Pradesh should draw inspiration from the people of Kerala, who won their battle to rename Kerala after ‘Keralam’. Their fight to add a ‘consonant’ to their State name is inspiring”.
The three-day conference is being ogranised by Godavari Global University, Rajamahendravaram.
Odisha Governor Kambhampati Hari Babu, Andhra Pradesh State Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, Cultural Advisor to Andhra Pradesh State Chaganti Koteswara Rao, Telugu poet and writer Tanikella Bharani and other literary personalities were present. Renowned Writer and recipient of Padma Bhushan Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad also spoke.
Published – February 28, 2026 02:28 pm IST
