HYDERABAD: Gummadi Vittal Rao, the renowned folk singer and revolutionary balladeer known as Gaddar, passed away on Sunday at the age of 77 while recovering from a bypass surgery at a private hospital in Hyderabad.
A former Maoist ideologue and an iconic figure in the Telugu-speaking states, Gaddar’s indomitable spirit left a lasting mark on the tapestry of Telangana’s history. Born into a humble Dalit family in Toopran of Medak district, his melodious incantations echoed the spirit of the Telangana movement, inspiring millions to unite in the struggle for statehood.
The hospital reported that he died at 3pm due to lung and urinary problems, compounded by his advanced age. Gaddar was admitted to the hospital on July 20 and underwent a heart bypass surgery on August 3. However, his health had been a constant battle since 1997 when he was targeted by assailants, leaving a bullet lodged in his spine.
He leaves behind his wife, Vimala, and their children Surya, Chandra, and Vennela. His body was taken to LB Stadium, where people gathered to pay their final respects.
Gaddar embodied a cultural phenomenon, representing alternative struggles within Telugu society, encompassing not only the fight for statehood but also the Naxalbari armed uprising and Dalit rights. Through his soul-stirring folk songs, he kindled the fire of resistance in the hearts of thousands, urging them to rise against exploitation.
In a poignant letter penned four days before his passing, Gaddar seemed to sense the approaching end. In it, he identified himself as Gummadi Vittal, the man behind the name "Gaddar”. His life, he declared, was an unyielding struggle for justice. “I am 77 years old. The age of the bullet stuck in my spinal cord is 25. I recently participated in the Peoples March padyatra with the slogan —
Maa bhoomulu maake (Our land should belong to us). My name is the heartbeat of the people,” he wrote.
He pledged to return and rekindle the cultural movement, repaying the “people’s debt”.
Sudhakar Reddy Udumula is the Editor (Investigation) at the Times...
Read MoreSudhakar Reddy Udumula is the Editor (Investigation) at the Times of India, Hyderabad. Following the trail of migration and drought across the rustic landscape of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Sudhakar reported extensively on government apathy, divisive politics, systemic gender discrimination, agrarian crisis and the will to survive great odds. His curiosity for peeking behind the curtain triumphed over the criminal agenda of many scamsters in the highest political and corporate circles, making way for breaking stories such as Panama Papers Scam, Telgi Stamp Paper Scam, and many others. His versatility in reporting extended to red corridors of left-wing extremism where the lives of security forces and the locals in Maoist-affected areas were key points of investigation. His knack for detail provided crucial evidence of involvement from overseas in terrorist bombings in Hyderabad.
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