WARANGAL, SEPTEMBER 04, 2025: Gaddam Venkanna, who serves as the Head of the Department of Folklore and Tribal Studies at Suravaram Pratap Reddy Telugu University, Warangal, has been honoured with the best teacher award, according to an announcement by the State Council of Higher Education on Thursday.
The award will be presented to Prof Gaddam Venkanna by Chief Minister Enumula Revanth Reddy during a ceremony scheduled for Friday at Shilpa Kala Vedika in Madhapur, Hyderabad, in celebration of the Guru Puja festival. With 30 years of experience in various roles at the Folklore and Tribal Science University, Mr Gaddam Venkanna has 30 years of research and 15 years of teaching expertise. His research focuses on the subject of ‘Patam Kathalu – Kathakulu,’ and he has authored a book on the topic.
He has travelled extensively across different districts in both Telugu States to explore the diverse aspects of folklore and tribal science, resulting in the publication of over 20 books and 70 articles in national and international journals and magazines. Additionally, he has actively participated in numerous national seminars, presenting 50 research papers. Under Venkanna’s guidance at the Folklore and Tribal Science Institute, six PhD and three MPhil students have completed their research and earned their degrees. Through various projects initiated by the Folklore and Tribal Knowledge Foundation, he has conducted tours in Warangal, Khammam, Adilabad, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Chittoor, and Kadapa districts, contributing significantly to the documentation of diverse folk tribal knowledge.
He has identified endangered folk tribal art forms and artists, meticulously documenting many of these art forms through audio, video, and photographic media. Mr Venkanna has also been involved in several Kalotsavams at the State, district, and constituency levels across both Telugu States, playing a crucial role in their successful execution. To date, Gaddam Venkanna Suravaram Pratap Reddy has held the position of Director of the Skill Development Centre and has served as the Director-in-charge of Chitravani. In the past, Venkanna received the best teacher awards from the Lions Club of Thousand Pillars, the Rotary Club of Hanamkonda, and the Telugu Language Movement Association. Venkanna thanked Telugu University Vice Chancellor Prof. Veludanda Nityananda Rao, Registrar Prof. Kotla Hanumantha Rao, and former Registrar Prof. Bhattu Ramesh. Teaching, non-teaching, and fourth-grade staff of the Folklore and Tribal Knowledge Peetham congratulated Venkanna on the occasion.
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