Telugu gives us an identity: Dr. Hema Prasad Yadla

Dr. Hema Prasad Yadla has been a life member of Telugu Association for the past twenty years. Though he wasn’t involved in the administration of TANA, this time he was requested to become the co-ordinator of the 16th gathering in Washington D.C. Speaking to Cinema Prapancham, Dr. Hema Prasad says, “We have wonderful volunteers who are willing to put in that extra effort and make this event a grand success. We are working towards making the 16th TANA meet a different one from the way it was conducted in the past.”

Dr. Hema Prasad a native of Chiluvuru in Guntur district had relocated to America 32 years back and eversince had been living at Washington D.C. He adds about his roots, “As long as I stayed in my country I didn’t move from my village and intha dooram vacchaka ekkadiki vellaledhu.” An affable, down to earth and a straight forward man, the Doctor had done his bit for his village and has many more plans. “I am constructing a library, I plan to build a stadium in the high school, and ma amma peru mida oka scholarship begin cheddam anukuntunnanu for outgoing girl students. And everytime I’m here I would run a clinic though on a temporary basis.” 

Despite the development in his village in terms of infrastructure and technology, he is not happy with many things, the foremost being culture. He says, “Culture wise we haven’t moved much. Manishi manishi ki maryadhalu undevi okappudu. Na interest koddhi nenu elthunna thappa na meedha evariki undadhu.” He continues, “Though I love Chiluvuru I don’t think I will ever come back to stay on.”

The Doctor expresses anguish and says the language faces a threat of extinction. “Here in schools we are taught French, Spanish, German, Sanskrit but Telugu as a language is not recognised. We have seen an encouragement for the language in the past few years in Dallas, Michigan, etc., but we need to do much more. Just not in USA, even in our Country and our State there is an urgency to propitiate the language. Telugu is taught only till fifth standard in private educational institutions. In the US we have a lot of people who speak Telugu but very few who can read and write.

We might face an extinction of the language in another 70 years. That is the reason and purpose of highlighting it’s importance here on 5th, 6th & 7th July. Telugu mana velugu, mana bhavam, mana Jeevam. It is the language that gives us an identity. Mana bhaashani, mana folk arts ni mana sampradayanni manam kaapadukovalasina baadhyata manaki vundhi.”