Telangana anthem lyricist Ande Sri passes away at 64

Noted Telugu poet Ande Sri, who penned Telangana’s anthem “Jaya Jayahe Telangana,” passed away in Hyderabad at the age of 64.

Expressing grief over the poet’s demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Ande Sri was the voice of the people whose words beautifully blended social consciousness with lyrical grace.

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Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed officials to make arrangements for a state funeral for the poet, who inspired the Telangana statehood movement with his powerful lyrics.

Born Ande Yellaiah, who later adopted the pen name Ande Sri, he rose from humble beginnings. An orphan from the Dalit community, he never attended school and even worked as a shepherd in his childhood, battling abject poverty.

Despite these hardships, many of his songs became rallying cries during the Telangana statehood movement.

Although “Jaya Jayahe Telangana” had long been treated as the unofficial anthem as agitators refused to sing “Maa Telugu Talliki,” the official song of undivided Andhra Pradesh—the composition did not receive formal recognition under the BRS government led by K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

The Congress government, after coming to power, officially accorded it the status of the state anthem.

Condoling his death, Prime Minister Modi said: “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.”

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences, saying: “His voice gave Telangana its soul through ‘Jaya Jayahe Telangana,’ a song that became a symbol of identity, resilience and collective pride. In his passing, we have lost a cultural icon.”

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will attend the funeral tomorrow.