Over 500 people of Telangana origin in Atlanta gathered in Alpharetta, despite the chilly weather, to express solidarity with the protagonists for the creation of a separate Telangana state. The participants joined Satya Karnati in paying homage to Telangana Martyrs by observing a minute of silence.
GS Reddy, president of Telangana Community recalled in a reminiscent mood, his family’s

 struggle for liberation of Hyderabad from the erstwhile Nizam. He lamented that Telangana’s hard fought struggle has been negated in less than a decade thereafter. His remarks were followed by screening of “Story of Telangana” – a documentary prepared by Telangana Intellectual Forum letting viewers know the historical background of the Telangana movement and highlighting the apprehensions then expressed by various national leaders on integrating the breakaway Telangana region from Madras state, careful misappropriation of Telangana’s water wealth, and calculated denial of safeguards including 8 / 6/ 5 point formulas for redressal,

The documentary was aimed at educating the present generation of youth that is ignorant of the Telangana background and the undeserving glorification of leaders like Potti Siramulu and NG Ranga who virtually made no contribution for Telangana state.

Sri Narender Reddy a prominent Republican party functionary of Telangana, explained that Telanganites are not against the interests of other states but only for upholding their legitimate right to self-rule and preserving and promoting Telangana culture. He substantiated his arguments citing numerous social, political and cultural facts.


Mr. Reddy, mentioned that when Potti Sreemulu died Oct. 16, 1952 fasting to achieve a separate Andhra State with Madras as Capital. He claimed that bereft of Madras, Andhra State would be like a ‘body without head.” Nehru announced a separate state of Andhra on Oct. 19th – three days after his death. However, installing statue of Sri Sriramulu in Telangana is unwarranted as Sri Sriramulu did nothing for the development of Telangana region. Andhra leaders are repeating history with Hyderabad today.

Sri Narender Reddy pointed out that Telangana today has more population than the combined Andhra region. There are in India 17 states smaller than Telangana - some in physical size and others in population. Narender Reddy claimed that Hyderabad was then and now the 5th largest state and Hyderabad had all required infrastructure like airports, railway network, roads, irrigation, police force and water supply.

Indians from all regions like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Bengal including Andhra will enjoy the hospitality of Hyderabad. Narender asked Telangana leaders to learn to unite in the same manner as their Andhra counterparts who so spontaneously joined hands for a common cause sinking regional, communal and party differences.

Vivek Reddy of Telangana Development Forum shared his experiences as witness of Struggle of sixty nine and spoke on the impact of irrigation on an agricultural economy of Telangana. He complained that Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam are built, maintained and paid for all tax payers. But Andhra farmers get irrigation water at negligible or subsidized cost, while a Telangana farmer has no right across Godavari or Krishna and has to dig his own well, desilt it, pay for electrification, and pump set and pipes, and bear the electricity charges. The cost of irrigation to Telangana farmer including interest on investment and maintenance would run over 10,000 per acre, and an Andhra farmer pays less than a fraction of that cost.

If Andhra and Telangana farmers have irrigation water provided at the same cost, thousands of Telangana farmers could be saved from financial ruin. Vivek Reddy denounced the loss of over 350 students to bullets during the regime of Brahmananda Reddy, who in Telangana is remembered as ‘Butcher of Bhagyanagar’. Vivek Reddy exhorted that everyone should extend support to the students of Telangana who are at the forefront of today’s struggle.

Chandra Mohan, Ganapathi Reddy and Sridhar Konkala of Telangana Development Forum also mirrored the same sentiments.

Three little girls melodiously rendered “Jaya Jaya Jaya Telangana” replicating what a Telangana girl would do in Hyderabad. Satya added his “bandenuka bandi gatti” to bring back memories of home to all Telanganites.

Anand Garlapati, who has been campaigning relentlessly to support the Telangana students garnered generous contributions from all Telanganites present.

Karunkar Reddy, a member of ATA and a prominent spokesman and supporter of various Telugu organizations proposed the customary Vote of Thanks.