Medak | People | B. Narsing Rao

B. Narsing Rao (born Bongu Narsinga Rao) is an Indian film director, composer, producer and actor known
for his works in Telugu, parallel cinema.[1] He has garnered four National Film Awards, International honors, and has served as a jury for Asian film festivals.[2][3]

He was known as The killer of Kitsch in the media for bringing out path breaking parallel cinema based on the lines of Telangana movement, Razakars, Urban Construction laborers etc., into the Telugu screen.[4] He has shared research works on several documentaries with Shyam Benegal.[5][6][7]

In 1979, He scripted Maa Bhoomi which was showcased at Karlovy Vary Film Festival, and garnered special mention awards at Cairo and Sidney Film Festivals.[8] The film is listed among CNN-IBN's list of hundred greatest Indian films of all time.[9] He directed, Daasi and Matti Manushulu which won the Diploma of Merit award at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1989 and 1991 respectively. Maa Ooru directed by him won the Media Wave Award at the Hungary International festival of visual arts.[10][11]

In 2003, He directed Hari Villu which was nominated avant-garde at the 56th Cannes Film Festival.[12] In 1984 He directed Rangula Kala, which had special mention at International Film Festival of India and panorama section.[13] His documentaries in Telugu The Carnival (1984), The City (1985), Akruti- Rock formations (1989) have received special mention awards at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.[14]

Medak | People | Kapu Rajaiah

Kapu Rajaiah (7 April 1925 – 20 August 2012) was a famous painter from Telangana, India. Born on April 6, 1925 in a poor family in Siddipet in Medak district, Rajaiah rose to fame by focusing his paintings on the idiom of Telangana culture, pastoral life and simple village folks. His paintings portrayed the prevailing conditions in villages and reflected the colours of life.

His works were often compared with those of Jamini Roy.

Rajaiah’s works were exhibited at the Lalit Kala Academy in Britain, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Cuba and Mexico and other countries and in about 100 places within the country. Starting with tempora, he later switched over to oil colours.

He won several awards and these include Lalit Kala Academy’s national award, Kala Vibhushana by All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, gold medal at All India Art Exhibition, Patna and Kerala Buddha Jayanthi festival, first prize in Dussehara exhibition, Mysore and awards at All India Exhibitions at Gwalior and Bangalore.

The Andhra Pradesh Government felicitated him with “Rajata Patra” in 1966. He also earned the title of “Chitra Kala Prapurna” in 1975. He received an honorary doctorate from the JNTU, Hyderabad. According to Cheppela Harinatha Sharma, Telugu Bhasha Pariraskshna Samithi Medak district secretary, ‘Risky Life’ (a man climbing toddy tree in his traditional attire), a painting drawn by him won the national award. The same work was displayed in the Russian Parliament. Similarly, his painting on “Bonalu” was carried in a London magazine as early as 1945, he added. Lalita Kala Samithi etablished by him in Siddipet trained several budding artists.

Medak | People | Mallinatha Suri

Mahakavi Kolachala Mallinatha Suri was a great scholar and eminent critic, known for his commentaries on five mahakavyas (great compositions) of Sanskrit. He was born in a small village called Kolachala (now called Kolcharam) in the Medak, Telangana.

He was believed to have lived between 1350-1450 CE and served different positions in Kakatiya kingdom.When Kakatiya rule ended, the scholars of Kolachelama family migrated to Rachakonḍa, the capital of Singabhupala. From the colophons of Sanjīvani, it is known that Singabhūpāla honoured Mallinātha with the title of Mahamahopadyaya, and Mallinātha's son with the title of Mahopadyaya.

Mallinātha is well known as a commentator who has written glosses on Classical epics of Sanskrit, besides his commentaries on Śātric works. His Sanjivani commentary on Meghasandesa is the most popular one. He is also known as a poet, the fact which is rather unknown, though the names of his creative compositions are known to the scholars of Sanskrit literature.

The following is the list of his commentaries on Classical Epics of Sanskrit- Sanjīvanī - Commentary on Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa, Kumarasambhava and Meghaduta Ghaṇṭāpatha - Commentary on Bharavi's Kiratarjuniya Sarvaṅkaṣa - Commentary on Magha's Sisupalavadha Jivātu - Commentary on Sriharsa's Naisadhiyacarita Sarvapathīnā - Commentary on Bhaṭṭikāvya The following is the list of his commentaries on Śāstric works- Tarala - commentary on Vidyadhara's Ekavali - alamkara Sastra Niskaṇṭakā - commentary on Varadaraja's Tarkikaraksa tika