Former Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has suggested to the Andhra Pradesh government that the life of former Chief Minister and legendary actor Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao (NTR) be included in the academic curriculum. He stressed that today’s younger generation must not only learn about NTR’s greatness but also about the “malicious attempt” to unseat him from power in 1984.
Venkaiah recounted how the central government of the day and then Governor Ram Lal conspired to topple NTR’s government and install Nadendla Bhaskar Rao as Chief Minister. “Though we were not members of the Telugu Desam Party, we could not tolerate the undemocratic ouster of a democratically elected leader. That is why we participated in the ‘Save Democracy Movement,’” he said.
Releasing the book “Living History” in Vijayawada on Tuesday, alongside Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Venkaiah said the publication—brought out by the NTR Literature Committee—documents both the 1984 political coup and the subsequent people’s movement that restored NTR to power. “People must know how democracy was murdered then, and how NTR fought back to victory,” he underlined.
He urged Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to include this episode in the syllabus, noting that in the world’s largest democracy, the way democracy was subverted should be taught not only in history but also in political science. Venkaiah hailed NTR as one of the greatest leaders the nation had seen.
Venkaiah praised NTR not only as a political leader but also as a celebrated actor who promoted spirituality through his films. He said his admiration for NTR stemmed from his anti-Congress politics as well as his deep commitment to Indian culture and the Telugu language.
On welfare, Venkaiah pointed out that “many talked about the upliftment of the Backward Classes, but only NTR implemented it in practice.” He cited the landmark two-rupees-a-kilogram rice scheme, adding that Prime Minister Modi had carried forward that spirit of welfare. He credited NTR with revolutionary reforms such as granting property rights to women and promoting decentralization of power, remarking that it was such a leader who had been toppled, which they could not tolerate.
At the same time, Venkaiah struck a note of caution, aiming a jibe at Chandrababu. “While one former Chief Minister said he gave a lot, this Chief Minister promises to give even more,” he quipped, warning that welfare should not merely mean distributing freebies. “We must teach people how to fish, not just hand out fish,” he said, stressing that poverty eradication depends on providing skill development and sustainable employment opportunities. Low-interest loans, he added, were a better option.
Venkaiah also advised the government to ensure that administration and primary education in Andhra Pradesh are conducted in Telugu. “Government orders should be issued in Telugu, with an English version if necessary—but not the other way around. Similarly, primary education must also be imparted through the Telugu medium,” he emphasized.
