Chilkuri Sushil Rao

Noted authors Sangishetty Srinivas and Mercy Margaret were honoured with a “Certificate of Appreciation and Recognition” by the alumni of University College of Arts and Social Sciences, Osmania University, Hyderabad.  The certificate to Sangishetty Srinivas was presented in the presence of writer and historian Dr Anand Raj Varma, former principal, Anwar Ul Uloom college who was a student of OU in 1958, and Veda Kumar Manikonda, heritage activist and  chairman of Forum for a Better Hyderabad and Chilkuri Sushil Rao, alumni of OU.  The certificate to Mercy Margaret was presented by Sangishetty Srinivas and Chilkuri Sushil Rao. The presentation of certificates took place at the 35 th  Hyderabad National Book Fair on December 31, 2022.

  Chilkuri Sushil Rao awarded a ‘Certificate of excellence’ at the 11 th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival. The recognition was for the entry of a short documentary titled “The Great Indian Tamarind Tree”.   “El peso de la quietud’ made by Manuel Ojeda of Cuba was adjudged best documentary film. ‘Kara – Star of the world’ directed by Daniel Mark Bendell of the US was given the Best documentary (Jury) award. The film festival was held in Mumbai on December 11, 2022. I would not attend the festival in person. All the entries in various categories were screened at the film festival. It was a small recognition as my entry was accepted to be screened at the festival for which I was given a ‘Certificate of excellence’. I dedicate this first small recognition to noted filmmaker B Narsing Rao. I went to his house in Hyderabad and expressed my thanks and gratitude. My thanks and gratitude to B Narsing Rao because the very first film that I watched in my life was ‘Maa Bho...

                                        Chilkuri Brothers performs Burrakatha, a Telangana traditional folk art form on Christmas day Chilkuri Burrakatha Brundham performed Burrakatha, a traditional folk art form on Christmas  day Three Chilkuri Brothers who form the “Chilkuri Burrakatha Brundham” staged a Burrakatha performance on the Biblical story of “Samson and Delilah” at a programme held on Christmas day on December 25, 2022 in Hyderabad. The performance was given for an exclusive gathering at Kowkur near Bolarum. Chilkuri Vasanth Rao was the main performer with his brothers Chilkuri Shyam Rao and Chilkuri Sushil Rao being co-performers. It was in 1978 that the first performance was given by the folk artistes. The story of ‘Samson and Delilah’ was performed at more than 60 places during the initial years itself. The places include apart from several places in Hyderabad, at ...

                       Meeting Sesanka, the man who introduced me to the internet in 1997                                   We met after 25 years. Sesanka Pemmaraju works for the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, as Director, Information Technology. At his office room, I noticed a poster. It read: It’s about PEOPLE Not just Technology. This poster aptly defines Sesanka. Let me use this space to mention something related. Comet Hale Bopp, described as the ‘The Great Comet of 1997’ was visible to the naked eye having faintly be seen and observed the previous year. It is said by scientists that the comet had previously made its appearance 4,200 years ago (source: Wikipedia).   The other details are technical with more scientific explanations but I am not going to delve more into it here. However, the comet had caught my fascinatio...

  Documentary filmmaker Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s “India’s GreenHeart Dusharla Satyanarayana” has won the Special Jury Award at the Telangana International Film Festival (TIFF) 2022 Documentary filmmaker Chilkuri Sushil Rao’s “India’s GreenHeart Dusharla Satyanarayana” has won the Special Jury Award at the Telangana International Film Festival (TIFF).  The  awards ceremony held on December 15, 2022 at Prasad Labs preview theatre at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. The award was presented to the film maker by noted lyricist Suddala Ashok Teja,   TIFF founder and film director Manjula Surooju, Telangana State Police Academy deputy director R Giridhar, IPS, Murali Dharmapuri of TIFF from Australia and other dignitaries. The 10-minutes documentary was also screened as part of the awards ceremony. A documentary on bio-degradable carry bags, the technology for which was developed at DRDO was also given the Special Jury Award and presented to scientist K Veera Brahmam. In all 10...

  When I was at Chanchalguda jail (outside), ‘Rahul & Johnson’ arrived in one of the latest cars of that time. Ch Sushil Rao blogpost: In 2002, Don Abu Salem and actress Monica Bedi were arrested in Lisbon, Portugal and extradited to India. Monica Bedi was lodged at the Central Prison for Women at Chanchalguda in Hyderabad and Abu Salem was lodged in a Mumbai jail. There was a big crowd at the Chanchalguda jail, but mostly media personnel, television camera crew, the curious local public and the police. I’d met Monica Bedi a couple of times some years ago as she had acted in a few Telugu films. This was as part of my work as a journalist. Little did I imagine that her life would take a different turn. Let’s get back to ‘Rahul & Johnson’. On the pavement and in the visitors’ open area in front of it near the Chanchalguda jail, the media waited for several hours. Would any of her family or relatives come? Anyone and everyone who remotely gave the impression that they were n...

  Ch Sushil Rao: Queen Elizabeth II has passed away. My recollections with The Royal family.  On November 20, 1983 Queen Elizabeth II visited the Holy Trinity Church at Bolarum in Secunderbad and attended the Sunday worship service there. The Queen and Prince Philip were on a visit to India and the occasion was their 36 th wedding anniversary.   I have a photograph of the Queen at the Holy Trinity Church where she was given a traditional welcome with a garland. The then Bishop-in-Medak Rt Rev Victor Premasagar, Rev B P Sugandhar, Rev Hamiltan, the presbyter of the church at that time and other senior officials of the diocese welcome the Queen. My eldest brother-in-law Vennamalla Padma Rao, as an official of the Medak diocese is standing on the extreme right of the photograph behind the Queen during her visit.   During this visit to Hyderabad, the Queen and Prince Philip attended some programmes together and in a packed schedule chose to attend some of them separat...