‘Humanity risks losing values without literature’

While history and social sciences record time and space, it is literature that nurtures existence, emotions, and culture. Without literature, humanity risks losing its values, BRS leader and MLC Deshapati Srinivas observed, at the Telugu Literary Congress held here at Osmania University.

He urged researchers to focus on universal themes and called on writers to examine the causes of social fragmentation. Mr. Srinivas also recalled the contributions of poet-singers Ande Sri and Gaddar and how their literary work inspired the separate statehood movement of Telangana.

The second Telugu Literary Congress, conducted by the Department of Telugu at the College of Arts and Social Sciences on Monday, saw the presence of literary artistes, academicians and students discussing the role of literature in shaping society and culture.

Vice-Chancellor, Osmania University, Molugaram Kumar stressed the importance of adapting Telugu to modern technologies such as AI, speech-to-text, and Natural Language Processing. Citing Maharashtra, where engineering education is imparted in Marathi, he expressed hope that Telugu too could be expanded for digital content creation, cinema, and folk arts.

Vice-Chancellor, Suravaram Pratapa Reddy Telugu University, V. Nityananda Rao cautioned against excessive modernity, and opined that that it widens intergenerational gaps and weakens human relationships. He spoke about the importance of traditional food system, values, and respect in nurturing healthy societies.

Other speakers such as Dean of Arts, Telangana University, K. Lavanya, and Kalvala Vishweshwar Reddy and Remilla Murthy, discussed the global expansion of Telugu language and literature.

Principal, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Chintakindi Kaseem said the Telugu Literary Congress was modelled on science and history congresses. In his address, he stressed the inclusion of creative writing and literature-related components in the curriculum.

University and department officials Sagi Kamalakar Sharma, S. Raghu and Chandraiah, researchers, and students were present.