Political leaders and district officials across Telangana paid tribute to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his 199th birth anniversary on Friday. Ceremonies were held in towns including Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, and Nalgonda to honor the social reformer’s legacy and ideals.
In Mahabubnagar, MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy and District Collector Vijyendra Boyi led the celebrations by garlanding Phule’s statue at the Green Belt in Padmavathi Colony. Reddy emphasized Phule’s belief in the power of education, especially for women. He quoted Phule, saying, “If even one woman in a household is educated, the entire household becomes educated.”
Reddy also announced plans to transform the existing Veg-Non-Veg market into a ‘Phule Ambedkar Learning Centre’. This new center will focus on education and skill development for underprivileged communities. He said the government order to hand over the market to the Municipal Corporation will be issued soon.
In Nalgonda, District Collector Ila Tripathi praised Phule’s work to promote education and support women’s empowerment. She attended a special event organized by the BC Welfare Department at the Clock Tower junction. Legislative Council member Nellikanti Satyam also spoke, calling Phule a visionary who fought against the caste system and helped uplift marginalized communities.
Cultural programs were held by Telangana Cultural Sarathi artists under the Department of Information and Public Relations. These performances highlighted the life and values of Mahatma Phule for the gathered audience.
In Khammam, celebrations took place at the District Congress Party Office at Sanjeeva Reddy Bhavan. The event was organized by DCC president Puvwalla Durga Prasad and State Warehouse Development Corporation Chairman Rayala Nageswara Rao.
In Nagarkurnool, MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy joined the celebrations at the District Collectorate. He said that many of today’s social reforms are the result of Phule’s efforts and urged everyone to work towards fulfilling Phule’s dream of a fair and equal society.
