Dignitaries Gather At Annual Alai Balai Event

Former Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu today said that Alai Balai embodied the spirit of togetherness, and lauded former Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya for sustaining the tradition for two decades.

Speaking at the annual Alai Balai cultural event, held at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds, Naidu said that unity needed to prevail over divisions of caste, community and religion.

Former CJI Justice N V Ramana, who also attended, said that such events preserved cultural traditions and promoted social harmony, and another VIP attendee, minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, described Dattatreya as a leader admired across party lines.

Dattatreya himself said that Alai Balai reflected the spirit of Telangana, and urged the youth to uphold patriotism and farmers to adopt organic farming. "The Alai Balai program is not just a tradition but embodies the spirit of Telangana. I urge people to move forward with a sense of patriotism and encourage farmers to embrace organic farming," he said.

He also called for greater cooperation between the Telugu States.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the division of the States was for administrative purposes, and that the people of the Telugu States must remain united. He described Alai Balai as a festival that fostered harmony beyond politics.

Telangana Jagruthi President K Kavitha praised the platform for bringing people together irrespective of political or social differences. Bandaru Vijayalakshmi, Dattatreya's daughter and the chief organiser, said that her father was known less as a politician and more as a people's leader capable of uniting communities, and that the two-decade-old event was a great example of that.

Telugu film actor Nagarjuna, attending for the first time, expressed gratitude for being felicitated and spoke about the program's role in spreading confidence and positivity. Veteran Tollywood comedian Brahmanandam, who was also felicitated, said that the event symbolised love, peace and mutual respect - values much needed in society today.

Among those present were Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma; Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Bandi Sanjay and Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma; Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka; State minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy; former Governor Vidyasagar Rao; BJP leaders Dr K Laxman and Sujana Chowdhury; TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud; CPI leader K Narayana; ex-MLC M Kodandaram; former MP V Hanumantha Rao; and MRPS founder Manda Krishna Madiga.