Avasarala Ramakrishna Rao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avasarala Ramakrishna Rao
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| Born | 21 December 1931 Tuni, East Godavari, Madras Presidency, British India
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| Died | 28 October 2011 (aged 79) |
Avasarala Ramakrishna Rao was a well-known Telugu writer. He was famous for his short stories. He wrote many books, including "Sampengalu-Sannajajulu" (which means Michelia Champaca and Jasmine flowers) and "Pekamukkalu" (meaning The playing cards). He was loved for his clever and funny writing style.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ramakrishna Rao was born in a town called Tuni in the East Godavari district. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a Mathematics and Science teacher. He later studied English and earned a Ph.D. from Andhra University. His Ph.D. research was about the famous writer George Orwell.
A Creative Writing Career
Ramakrishna Rao started writing when he was just 17 years old. He wrote over 600 short stories, 15 novels, and 4 children's novels. He was known for his smart and funny way of writing.
Besides his stories, he also wrote many short plays, songs, and poems. These were shared on All India Radio and in different magazines. He even wrote essays about math and science.
One of his most popular features was "Mathe-me-tricks." This was a regular column in a children's magazine called Bala Jyothi (meaning Light for kids). It ran for 25 years! In this column, he would share interesting math or logic problems. Readers could send in their answers to win prizes.
Before he passed away, he was writing a column called "Angrezi-Made-Easy" (meaning English made easy) for a big Telugu newspaper. He also often wrote book reviews and a special feature called "Sebhashitaalu" for the Telugu version of India Today magazine.
He felt that his most rewarding work was "Pekamukkalu." This book was a collection of his short stories that had been published in various magazines over 52 years.
His Personality and Views
Ramakrishna Rao described himself in a fun poem:
In teaching? Non-stop fun!
In writing? Evergreen pun!
Even at seventy-one
I enjoy being two-in-one!
Even though he taught English, he wrote most of his works in Telugu. His stories often showed his thoughts on society. He believed in practical thinking and logic. His favorite writers were Ranganayakamma and Volga, who were both Telugu female writers.
Awards and Recognition
Ramakrishna Rao received several awards for his excellent writing:
- In 1969, he won the Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy award for his collection of short stories called "Ardhamunna Kadhalu" (meaning Stories with a meaning).
- In 1994, he received the "Best Writer in Humour" award from Sri Potti Sriramulutu Telugu University.
- In 2000, he was honored with the Ugadi Puraskar by the Delhi Telugu Academy.
- Also in 2000, the Andhra Sanskriti Sangham in Chandigarh recognized his contributions.
His Passing
Ramakrishna Rao passed away on October 28, 2011, at the age of 79. After a surgery, he developed some health issues. As he wished, his body was donated to the Osmania Medical College for medical research. He is survived by his wife and son.
