G.V. Vennela and the Gaddar Memorial
In November 2024, the Telangana government appointed G.V. Vennela, as the Chairperson of Telangana Samskruthika Saradhi, the state’s cultural wing. This body focuses on promoting Telangana’s linguistic, cultural identity, and awareness of government initiatives.
A memorial is built on one acre of land where one could keep all his life’s work, writings, and songs. Along with him, the works of other poets and singers of the region would also be kept. In November, Vennela said that the work will start in three months.
In the month of February, 2025 Gaddar Memorial came up on the Necklace road. Gaddar wrote at least 4000 songs in his lifetime. Many of them are still yet to be released. Vennela reminisces how he used to humm, a new song each day, and she was the first person to hear those songs.
About G.V. Vennela
G. V. Vennela (Gummadi V. Vennela), born around 1979, is an Indian Dalit leader and emerging political figure from Secunderabad, Telangana. She is best known as the daughter of the iconic revolutionary balladeer and activist Gaddar (Gummadi Vittal Rao).
She holds a graduate degree from Osmania University, an MBA, a PhD in management studies, and a PG Diploma in school management. Before entering politics she used to operate Mahabodhi Vidyalaya.
This school established by her father in the Alwal area of Secunderabad. The school has offered free education to economically disadvantaged children, and Vennela has been its primary teacher and manager for around 18 years.
She entered politics in 2023, following her father’s demise in August, who had founded the Gaddar Praja Party. She chose to join the Congress party at the invitation of senior leaders. In October 2023, her name was included in Congress’s second candidate list for the Telangana Assembly elections, along with figures like former cricketer Azharuddin.
She contested from the Secunderabad Cantonment (SC-reserved) constituency in the November 30, 2023 elections but lost to the BRS candidate, Lasya Nandita.
Vennela In Telangana: As a political figure
She aims to continue her father’s legacy of fighting inequality especially for Dalits, minorities, and women. She is highlighting issues like civic infrastructure deficits, garbage disposal, and employment. For this she says, we need better local governance. She also emphasized on breaking administrative barriers such as cantonment jurisdiction to integrate the area under municipal control—an initiative aligned with her father’s longstanding vision.
This article is a part of a series on what young heirs from famous political dynasties are saying.