Vedam Venkataraya Sastry (21 December 1853 – 18 June 1929) was a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

and

Telugu language Telugu (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken by Telugu people predominantly living in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it is also the official language. It is the most widely spoken member of the Dravidian language fam ...

poet, critic, Telugu theatre star and dramatist. He is known for providing authoritative editions of Sanskrit and Telugu classics.Vedam Venkataraya Sastry in Makers of Indian Literature; Biography by Vedam Venkataraya Sastri,

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government. Its of ...

, 1976Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005.

Education and career

He was born to Venkataramana Sastry and Lakshmamma in Madras in 1853. He graduated with a B.A. in 1887. He had worked as a Sanskrit pandit in Madras Christian College for 25 years. He wrote original drama and translated Sanskrit dramas of Kalidasa and

Harsha Harshavardhana ( IAST Harṣa-vardhana; c. 590–647 CE) was a Pushyabhuti emperor who ruled northern India from 606 to 647 CE. He was the son of Prabhakaravardhana who had defeated the Alchon Huna invaders, and the younger brother of Rajy ...

. He established a dramatic association named ''Andhra Bhashabhimani Nataka Samajam'' in 1899. His original works include ''Prataparudriya natakam'' (

Prataparudra Pratāparudra (r. c. 1289–1323), also known as Rudradeva II, was the last ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty of India. He ruled the eastern part of Deccan, with his capital at Warangal. Prataparudra succeeded his grandmother Rudramadevi as the Kak ...

's Play) in 1897 and ''Usha natakam'' (Usha's Play) in 1901. The former won a great reputation as a historical drama for introducing a Chanakyan-type character in Yugandhara, minister of the

Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...

king Prataparudra, and for its patrochita bhasha. It recreated Prataparudra's grandeur and created other memorable roles like Vidyanatha the poet, Chekumuki Sastry the courtier, and the simple Perigadu and Yelli, who became synonymous in Telugu theatre with rustic humour. He worked as Chief editor of ''Suryarayandhra Nighantuvu'' in 1916. He died in 1929 in Madras.

Literary works

*Naganandamu (1891) *Shakuntalamu (1896) *Prataparudriya Natakam (1897) *

Usha Parinayam ''Usha Parinayam'' ( te, ఉషా పరిణయము; English: Marriage of Usha) is one of the famous Indian drama. It is also a popular Yakshagana. The play was written in 1901 by Vedam Venkataraya Sastry. Plot Banasura, the king of dem ...

Natakam (1901) * Vikramorvashiyam (1901) *Nannechoduni Kavitvamu. *Pushpabana Vilasa *Visandhi Vivekamu (1912) * Bobbili Yuddham (1916) *Malavikagni Mitramu (1919) *Tikkana Somayaji Vijayamu (1919) *Uttararama Charitra (1920) *Andhra Sahitya Darpanamu *Vyāmōhamu *Tānāṣā, Akkanna Mādannalu *Telun̐guvārevaru - Parishodhana vyasamu *Mayasabha (Duryodhana) *Vēdamu Vēṅkaṭarāyaśāstrulavāri jīvitacaritra saṅgrahamu *Rasamanjari (1950)

Honors

* 1920 : Mahamahopadhyaya award by

Andhra Mahasabha Andhra Mahasabha (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర మహాసభ, IAST: ''Āndhra mahāsabha'') was a people's organisation in the erstwhile Hyderabad state of India. The organization spearheaded people's awareness and people's movements among the Telu ...

. * 1922 : Sarvatantra svatantra, Mahamahopadhyaya and Vidyadanavrata mahoradhi facilitations by Sankara of Dwaraka Peetham. * 1927 : Kalaprapoorna by Andhra Viswakala Parishad. He was the first recipient of that honor. * 1958 : Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi award for his critical analysis on Nanne Choda's prabandha poetry in 1958.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sastry, Vedam Venkataraya Telugu people Indian male dramatists and playwrights 1853 births 1929 deaths Indian theatre directors Indian arts administrators University of Madras alumni 19th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Telugu-language dramatists and playwrights Writers from Chennai 19th-century Indian male writers Male actors in Telugu theatre 19th-century Indian male actors 20th-century Indian male actors Male actors from Chennai Dramatists and playwrights from Tamil Nadu 20th-century Indian male writers Andhra movement