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Prez releases Rs100 commemorative coin on NTR; his widow asks why wasn’t I invited
NTR’s widow and YSR Congress party leader Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi criticised the government for overlooking her right to be invited to the programme
HYDERABAD: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday released a special coin of ₹100 denomination to commemorate the legendary Telugu actor and former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh late N T Rama Rao on the occasion of his birth centenary year.
The function, held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan cultural centre, was attended by family members of NTR, as the former chief minister was called, including his daughter and Bharatiya Janata Party Andhra unit president Daggubati Purandeshwari, and son-in-law and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu.
BJP president J P Nadda and several senior TDP and BJP leaders also attended the event.
President Murmu said NTR, who founded the TDP in March1982 and swept the Andhra elections in January 1983, enriched Indian cinema and culture through Telugu films and breathed life into prominent characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata through his acting. “The characters of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna played by him became so alive that people started worshipping NTR,” she said.
Murmu said NTR also expressed the pain of the common people through his acting and spread the message of social justice and equality through one of his films “Manushulanta Okkate” (all human beings are equal).
The President said NTR’s popularity was equally wide as a public servant and leader. He created a unique chapter in Indian politics through his extraordinary personality and hard work. “He initiated many public welfare programmes, which are remembered till today,” she said, adding that his unique personality would always be imprinted in the hearts of the people, especially the Telugu-speaking people.
In a statement, India Government Mint Hyderabad, chief general manager VNR Naidu, said the special coin was not meant for normal transactions but for preservation as a tribute to NTR. Apart from being sold online, the commemorative coins, each coin will cost ₹3,500, will also be available at counters at Saifabad Mint Compound and the India Government Mint at Cherlapalli.
NTR’s widow and YSR Congress party leader Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi criticised the government for overlooking her right to be invited to the programme held in memory of her late husband.
Lakshmi Parvathi told reporters in Vijayawada that she was kept out of the event by NTR’s family members, particularly daughter Purandeshwari and son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu, who she alleged, conspired against her for political gains.
“All these days, I have been keeping silent when NTR’s family members were ill-treating me. I will no longer keep quiet and will fight for my rights,” she said.
Parvati claimed that NTR had publicly stated his marital status, but the TDP was promoting a different narrative. She vowed to expose the political conspiracy against her to the public, asserting that they would not remain in politics after the upcoming elections.
Lakshmi Parvati underlined her right to get the invite in a letter to President Murmu on Friday, saying she was NTR’s legally married wife.
She said she had married NTR on September 11, 1993, and together they had led a peaceful family life. “However, due to a conspiracy orchestrated by his family members, power was acquired through backdoor methods. This unfortunate turn of events led to NTR’s deep depression, as he expressed his dissatisfaction with his children’s families. Tragically, he passed away on January 18, 1996,” she said.
