Page 9 - EDUSURE JANUARY-FEBRUARY 22
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Verses of Sweat and Toil





           Gopal, a Telugu and Hindi lan-
           guage teacher at UPS Ajilapur
       Tin  Veldanda  Mandal  in  Na-
       garkurnool  District,  spoke  with
       Edusure about his happiness at re-
       ceiving the Sahitya Academy Yuva
       Award. Although born into a low-in-
       come family, with his mother work-
       ing as a daily-wage employee in agri-
       cultural farms, and his father as a
       shepherd, he worked hard to become
       a well-received writer.

       What inspired you to write
       kavithalu?
        My interest in poetry was sparked
       by reading Telugu poems and verses
       by renowned poets and attending nu-  T Gopal, a Telugu and Hindi language teacher at UPS Ajilapur in Veldanda
       merous  literature  programmes  Mandal in Nagarkurnool District, received the Sahitya Academy Yuva Award
       throughout my undergraduate years.
       I used to write short poems when I  improvements and tips to strengthen
       was in B.C. Residential School, Na-  their literary skills. I also encourage
       garjuna Sagar. One of my poems on  them to learn from their peers and
       friendship was published in the Ma-  occasionally read out poems written
       habubnagar  district  edition  of  by students from other schools.
       Eenadu when I was in intermediate
       school.                    How do you feel about receiving the
                                  Sahitya Academy Yuva Award?
       Tell us about your first kavitha.
                                    I  am  delighted  to  receive  the
        My teachers, Ravichandra, Telugu  Sahitya Academy Yuva Award for my
       pandit at my intermediate college, E  Dhandakadiyam poetry. The title al-
       Parameshwar, Telugu teacher, and N  ludes to the experiences of rural folk
       Sujatha,  Telugu  pandit  at  ZPHS  who work day in and day out to make
       Kalakonda,  Ranga  Reddy  District,  ends meet. In villages, most of the
       Kanaka Vani, a senior lecturer, DIET  people wear kadiyam to hand. My
       lecturer, Hyderabad, played a key role  stories describe the activities of the
       in the development of my literary  hand ornamented with kadiyam. This
       skills.  G  Rajya  Vardhan  Reddy,  renowned prize, in my opinion, is a
       physics teacher, ZPHS Kalakonda,  token of respect for country life and
       Ranga Reddy District, has financially  the Telugu language.
       supported me at every step of my ed-
       ucation. Kavisangam, a Facebook ac-  How do you juggle your passion as a
       count, also provided a valuable plat-  poet and responsibilities as a
       form for exploring literature. As a  teacher?
       professional, I started my literary ad-
       venture with a four-line poem. My  My  love  for  my  profession  as  a
       writing is inspired by poverty, the  teacher and literature compete with
       hard work of people trying to make  each  other.  As  an  enthusiastic
       ends meet, a mother's love and efforts  teacher, I make sure that they learn
       to raise a family, and the significance  to better their understanding, speak-
       of relationships.          ing, and writing skills in Telugu and
                                  Hindi, alongside improving their cre-
       How has your career as a poet  ativity.
       influenced your teaching?
                                  What advice do you have for your
        Reading and writing poetry is part  students?
       of my Telugu class. I give students as-
       signments that will help them im-  I want the children to succeed in              currently focused on writing a col-
       prove their Telugu reading and writ-  their writing talents. My primary re-  What is your future goal?  umn,  "Kavileka"  on  the  Facebook
       ing skills, such as composing poetry  sponsibility is to identify and hone        group Kavisangam. I have completed
       using words like "Amma," "Chettu,"  their skills to carve out a place for  I want to pursue Ph.D. in the Tel-  thirty essays and plan to write twenty
       and "Badi." I then have them read  themselves. Poverty should not im-  ugu language and become a professor.  more before compiling them for a
       their small poems in class and suggest  pede success.  Regarding my literary career, I am  print edition.

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