Mandali VenkataKrishna Rao

Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao ( మండలి వెంకట కృష్ణారావు) shortly known as Mandali Krishna Rao was politician and minister in Andhra Pradesh, India.

The Great Chief minister then, Sri P.V.Narasimha Rao inducted him into the State Cabinet in 1972. He again joined Sri Vengal Rao's Cabinet as the Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs.

He organised the first ever World Telugu Conference in 1975 with encouragement and support of the then Chief Minister,Sri Jalagam Vengal Rao and brought together all Telugus from all over the world.Even today,the Telugus abroad remember him with love and affection.

In 1981,when World Telugu Conference was held in Malaysia he was unable attend. Hence,1983,he visited Malaysia on the special invitation of Malaysia Andhra Sangham to participate in the Ugadi Celebrations and was awarded the title of "Telugu Data".

I was then the newly formed Klang branch chairman and Klang branch had honour to receive him and his Madam together with Sri Narayana Reddy and Sri Lechumana at Klang Perumal Temple for Ugadi Celebrations. I also travelled with them around the country. After which all four them left to Singapore before returning to Andhra Pradesh

In 1984,he visited the U.K. and the U.S.A and renewed his acquaintances with the Telugus there.He was honoured as the "Telugu Velugu" by the Madras Telugu Cultural Academy in 1985.He was again honoured as the "Suthradhari" at the third world conference in 1990 at Mauritius.

Sri Mandali conducted first ever World Telugu Conference in 1975,coming in the wake of distrurbing regional movements that shook the foundations of the integration of the state of Andhra Pradesh.The Conference had been a success beyond all expectations and brought a sense of oneness among all the Telugu speaking people of the world.As the Founder Chairman of the International Telugu Institute, an off-sprong of the conference,he further strengthened the bonds of fraternity.

Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao International Telugu Centre,Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University,Hyderabad

Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University is one of the few language based Universities in the Country. It was founded with the objective of serving the cause of the Telugu people both within country and abroad. The University through one of its wings "International Telugu Centre" has been serving Telugu people living outside Andhra Pradesh and in other countries in literarily and cultural aspects.This Centre was appropriately named after Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao who did exemplary services for Telugu language and Culture in fact he was the person who established International Telugu Institute in the year 1975 which was subsequently merged into Telugu University and has been functioning as one of its Centres.

Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao Cultural Award

Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao Cultural Award was instituted in 2007 and for the first time presented to Malaysian Telugu Association founder general secretary Madini Soma Naidu.

Source :Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia