At 84, a retired Srikakulam botany professor retells Ramayana in simple Telugu for children who find Valmiki hard
Nikku Appanna, an 84-year-old retired botany professor, has authored a simplified Telugu version of the Ramayana to make the epic more accessible to children. The book, titled 'Naa Ramudu', aims to instill traditional values and ethics in the younger generation.
Why it matters
This highlights efforts in cultural preservation and educational outreach, demonstrating how older generations contribute to literary accessibility.
At 84, Nikku Appanna, a retired professor of Loyola College, Vijayawada , has rewritten the Ramayana in simple Telugu so that children can know the epic. The book, titled ‘Naa Ramudu’, covers all the points of the Valmiki Ramayanam , which has 24,000 verses split into seven chapters, or kandas.
Mr. Appanna, who hails from Buditi village in Srikakulam district, began writing the entire Ramayanam two years ago and completed the task in August 2026. He feels strongly that the young generation will move on the right path in life when they can adopt the values and ethics of Lord Rama, who faced many hurdles, including 14 years of exile in the forest.
Nikku Appanna, 84, a retired botany professor, with ‘Naa Ramudu’, his retelling of the Ramayana in simple Telugu, in Srikakulam. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
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