MADURAI: The people and political leaders of two Telugu speaking States in our country -Andhra Pradesh and Telangana-have today paid glorious tributes and respects to the legendary personality late NTR on his death anniversary while making once again a fervent appeal to Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi’s government to confer the nation’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna for N.T.Rama Rao who passed away on January 18th 1996.
The great MGR and NTR were contemporaries in the film field with thier great mass appeal in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh respectively for many decades. These two great stars from the Southern States had played key roles during their period as Chief Ministers and as leaders of their own parties- the AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party.
While MGR was immediately conferred Bharat Ratna posthumously after his demise by the then Congress government at the Centre, the Telugu people are still waiting for the last 30 years to hear the announcement of Bharat Ratna for NTR who brought self-respect for Telugu language speaking people in India.
NTR passed away in 1996. It is now already three decades. Several appeals have been made to the Union Govenrments for last 30 years to give Bharat Ratna to great NTR who played a significant role as actor, as politcal leader, as united AP Chief Minister and as a national level leader from the 80s who fought with the Indira Gandhi govt in those days.
The question from Telugu people is when MGR from Tamil Nadu got Bharat Ratna immediately after his death, why NTR from Andhra Pradesh is still not being considered by the present NDA government led by Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi and why the BJP leaders are keeping silent when it comes to NTR even though several appeals were made by his NTR’s family members.
When the present Modi government at the Centre says they are committed to Tamil Nadu’s Thriuvalluvar and others, why not they announce Bharat Ratna to NTR who fought for ensuring federalism and the States’ rights in India? This is the question that is being asked by Telugu people today after they paid tributes to late NTR on his death anniversary-January 18th 2026.
