Dad's Statue Reinstated and Unveiled on his 100th Birthday

Dad would have been 100 on April 1, 2024. I did not realise it. But someone did, from his village Polamuru in West Godavari district. For someone who came out of a small village and a family with meagre means he had risen to great heights - he studied civil engineering and retired as a Chief Engineer in the Roads and Buildings department. He gave all six kids a good education, all the comforts, a love for music and books before he passed away in 1984 - when he was just sixty.

Cousin Kishore, Dad's favorite, garlanding Dad's bust

Dad, Shri Paruvu Venkanna, was a kind hearted man who apparently helped many. I have heard stories from others about how he got people jobs etc which is a great way to help a family. Thanks to all his good deeds a couple of decades ago a relative of ours initiated and got his statue erected in that tiny, blink-and-miss village Polamuru. Probably the most well known son of that village perhaps. Over time that bust fell off and people forgot about it. So did we. The one time I saw it I was not too happy about it but obviously realised that I could not ask for the moon - someone did something I had not.

Unveiling the bust

The plaque

Until the other day when we heard that one Mr Ramakrishna had at his cost erected a new bust of Dad and got it all inaugurated at Polamuru on February 2, 2024. It looks like one of my older cousins made it to the function.

I am deeply grateful to Mr Ramakrishna for his initiative at keeping Dad's memory alive.

I am also amazed at Dad's good work because it is not easy for someone to be remembered forty years after he passed away (Dad died in 1984). There is something that he did right that people cannot forget him, want to remember him, are moved to act in such selfless ways.

The Stage

Dad would have been embarrassed by all this. But suffice to say - amazed and proud of you Dad. I don't think I will ever be able to achieve what you did. But hopefully I will at least do enough to be worthy of a small part of what you represented, what you achieved and what you were.

Thanks once again to Ramakrishna garu with whom I propose to speak one of these days.