Telangana anthem writer Ande Sri passes away at 64; PM Modi condoles death of ‘the voice of the people’

Hyderabad: Renowned poet Ande Sri, best known as the author of Telangana’s iconic state song “Jaya Jaya He Telangana,” passed away on Monday at the age of 64.

According to officials, the poet — whose real name was Ande Yellaiah — was found lying unconscious at his residence in Hyderabad on Monday morning. Family members rushed him to Gandhi Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. A heart attack is suspected to be the cause of death. He was reportedly hypertensive and had experienced excessive sweating two days earlier.

A celebrated figure in Telangana’s literary and cultural circles, Ande Sri played a significant role in the Telangana statehood movement through his songs and writings. His composition “Jaya Jaya He Telangana” was officially adopted as the state song by the Congress government after it came to power in December 2023.

PM Modi's post on Ande Sri

PM Modi also expressed grief, he tweeted, “The passing of Ande Sri leaves a deep void in our cultural and intellectual landscape. His thoughts reflected the soul of Telangana. A prolific poet and thinker, he was the voice of the people, articulating their struggles, aspirations and undying spirit. His words had the power to stir hearts, unite voices and give shape to the collective pulse of society. The way he blended social consciousness with lyrical beauty was outstanding. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao, BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, and several other leaders expressed grief over his death. In a statement, the Chief Minister described Ande Sri’s demise as a “huge loss to Telangana’s literary and cultural world” and directed that his funeral be held with full state honours.

Internet reacts

Reacting to the news of Ande Sri's passing, a user wrote, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Ande Sri Garu, a poet who gave Telangana its soulful voice through his powerful words. His writings will forever inspire generations. Heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers.”

Another user wrote, "Deeply saddened by the demise of legendary poet & lyricist Ande Sri garu. His immortal "Jaya Jaya He Telangana" became the heartbeat of the statehood movement & now proudly stands as our official state song."

“Ande Sri, the Poet laureate of Telangana. Someone who inspired us, stops singing. Truly a sad day for Telangana,” the third user wrote.