Professor Chekuri Ramarao, an eminent linguist by academic profession for more than forty years, was also famous for his writings in and on Telugu poetry, literature and literary criticism. He was also versatile in traditional Telugu grammars and prosody to which he was introduced at a very young age when he was a school student. His name was very popular among Telugu literary scholars, poets, critics and newspaper readers equally for almost eight years during late 1980s. He was a recipient of Central Sahitya Akademi Award for his book 'smriti kiNaamkam' (scar of memory) in the year 2002.
Chekuri Ramarao as a linguist, researcher, and teacher served in the Department of Linguistics, Osmania University, Hyderabad except for brief periods. In between he taught in the Department of Linguistics, University of Delhi, Delhi (1972-73) and between 1986-90 in the School of Language Development in Telugu University. He did his Ph.D. in USA from Cornell University. However, most of his writings including linguistics were in Telugu. He was the first scholar who introduced the then newly emerging theories proposed by Noam Chomsky in Telugu. It may be due to his love for Telugu where he first began his literary activity as a poet and his earliest publication was on Telugu Prosody- his favourite chandas 'mutyaala saraalu' which got him recognition for it. In those early days he also wrote on 'free verse' and entered into a healthy academic dispute with another well-known scholar in the field. (see ch.6)
Chekuri Ramarao obtained reputation as CheeRaa all over the Telugu speaking world for his weekly writings as a regular columnist on Sundays in Andhra Jyothy a popular newspaper. From 1986 onwards al! Telugu literary scholars started to look forward to his writings and more particularly the young, upcoming poets including female, Dalit and Muslim poets. His approach in writing the column was novel and lucid, and he was the first to introduce linguistics in Telugu literary criticism and aesthetics for common and general readers in a weekly column. It became so popular among the readers, that it ran for almost eight years.
I knew Ramarao for more than four decades as I came to know about Linguistics with his essay and joined Osmania and studied with him. I also did both my M.Phil. and Ph.D., under his supervision. I was also fortunate to work with him as a colleague in Telugu University for three years. I owe my knowledge of linguistics mostly to him (though all other teachers were also equally good) and dedicated my translation work with linguistic interpretation of the first Telugu grammar of 13th century by a Telugu poet and scholar Ketana (2009) to him.
I felt very happy when I got the letter from Central Sahitya Adademi asking me to write a monograph on him in English. I am extremely grateful to them and obliged.
As is known, no book can be written without the help of family, friends and scholars. I sincerely express my thanks to Prof. V. Prakasam, (another teacher of mine in Linguistics when I studied linguistics) for going through the first draft and giving his comments and observations for the improvement of it. Special thanks are also due to my good friends Professor G Umamaheshwar Rao, a well-known linguist for his constant encouragement, and to Dr. D. Chandrasekhar Reddy for all his cooperation whenever required. I am particularly thankful to Dr. Sateesh (Editor, Cheeraa, Manasu Foundation) for providing me with unavailable books and articles of Ramarao cheerfully. Last but not least, I am happy to note the love and cooperation extended to me by my husband Prof. J. Manohar Rao and my daughter Armili without whom it could not have been completed.
Chekuri Ramarao, a renowned professor of linguistics, served for most of his career in the Department of Linguistics in Osmania University, Hyderabad. He also worked for a brief period in the University of Delhi (1972-1973) and in Telugu University (1986-1990). He developed interest in Telugu Literature from a very young age. From his early school days, he demonstrated admirable skills in Telugu language and literature which later made him a distinguished scholar in Telugu literature from ancient to modern times Traditional Telugu Grammar and Prosody. Later in 1986 he evolved as an influential Telugu literary critic through his popular column on Sundays in an established Telugu newspaper (Andhra Jyothy) which ran for almost eight years. In these columns, he used to write occasional reviews, musings, or his views on above mentioned areas. He loved Telugu poetry and wrote prefaces for poems of some contemporary poets. He began his career, as stated above with Telugu literature, Grammar and Prosody and later took to linguistics as his career. That is, after graduation, he moved to study Linguistics in the USA. He worked as a faculty member, mostly in Osmania University. He served briefly at Delhi University and Telugu University as well. He published many articles and books and many collected volumes (that is, many books which are collections of his different articles) related to Linguistics, Literary Criticism and Prosody. He also wrote poetry in his young age and published some of the selected poems in a book form namely, 'rendu padula paina'. He served as editor for the Hyderabad Book Trust which published books related to progressive thinking and ideology. He was also editor for a Newspaper dictionary as a utility tool for budding young journalists, prepared by Press Club and initiated a newspaper dictionary in the School of language Development, Telugu University, when he served there for a period of three years as professor and Dean. He was also Editor for the Telugu textbooks prepared by Andhra Pradesh Open University (later named Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University). Of his published books, six are related to theoretical as well as applied linguistics; one is a collection of his poems; another on Telugu Prosody. He also published a book of collected essays on the discussions on the poetic nature of 'free verse' poetry in which he encountered with arguments by another scholar, Kovela Sampatkumaracharya who published his views differing from Ramarao's. Therefore, they both decided to publish those essays as a joint book to enable future scholars to get them all in one place. The other books are on topics related to Telugu literary criticism and literature- particularly poetry. However, he wrote many obituary essays on many people which included his teachers/gurus, friends and scholars in related areas whenever they passed away. With all these emotional, compassionate articles and remembrances, he is understood as a humane, sensitive and emotional person with a lot of positivity towards not only family, friends, and scholars of related areas, but as a considerate human being who was always ready to help scholars as well. He died peacefully in his meditation on July 24, 2014.
Professor Ramarao is survived by his wife Mrs. Ranganayaki and three children- two sons, Vijaya Sarathi and Christopher and a daughter, Sandhya. All the three children are settled in the United States of America. However, occasionally, he regretted in a couple of his writings, which he wrote as musings, that he could not give enough time and attention to his family, especially children. He had a very big collection of books and was very fond of his library as is natural with any book lover. His home was a welcome point for all-colleagues, friends, students, research scholars and literary connoisseurs. Their hospitality has always been recollected by one and all whenever and wherever they wrote about him. There are three commemorative volumes in all; one was brought out by his admirers on his attaining seventieth year (2003 see below); and the other two volumes were brought out after his death (vide. Jayanti special issue edited by V. Kondala Rao and another by his daughter Sandhya and her friends).
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