By Ajay Roy
Gaddar,
the legendary balladeer, singer, and activist,
passed
away on August 6, 2023, at 77. He was one of the memorable figures in
Telangana's
history and the Naxalite movement. His songs and performances
inspired
millions to fight for their freedom, rights and dignity.
Gaddar was born Gummadi Vittal Rao in 1949 in Toopran, a
village in the Medak district of Telangana.[1] He studied
engineering at
Osmania University but left his studies to join the
radical left movement in
1972. He became one of the founders of Jana Natya
Mandali, a cultural wing of
the revolutionary communist movement. He adopted the name
Gaddar, which means
rebel, after his first album of revolutionary songs that
became immensely
popular among the masses. His journey as a revolutionary
activist continued up
to 2012. After that, he detached himself from the radical
left movement.[2]
Gaddar's songs were not just songs but weapons of
resistance and rebellion. He used folk music, ballads,
and street theatre to
convey his message of revolution and liberation. He sang
about the oppression
and exploitation of the peasants, workers, Dalits,
Adivasis, women, and
minorities by the feudal landlords, capitalists, and the
state. He also sang
about the heroism and sacrifice of the revolutionaries
who fought against these forces.
He used folk tunes and instruments to create a powerful
and popular musical genre that challenged the dominant
culture. His songs such
as "Rela Re Rela Re", "Podusthunna
Poddumeeda", and
"Amma Telanganama" became anthems of
resistance.
Gaddar was arrested and tortured during the Emergency in
1975. He went underground after his release and continued
his cultural
activism. He escaped an assassination attempt in 1997
when he was shot in the
chest.
Gaddar was a rare artist who dedicated his life to the
cause of the people. His voice echoed the pain and anger
of the exploited and
the excluded. His songs will inspire generations to fight
for a better world.
10.08.2023
Notes:
[1]
"Telangana Poet Gaddar, Known For His Revolutionary
Songs,
Dies At 77'', August 06, 2023, NDTV
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/telangana-poet-balladeer-gaddar-dies-at-77-4273956
[2]
"CPI (Maoist) Telangana State committee condoles
Gaddar's
death", August 08, 2023, The Hindu
