At 84, retired Srikakulam botany professor retells Ramayana in simple Telugu for children who find Valmiki difficult
Nikku Appanna presents a copy of ‘Naa Ramudu’, his retelling of the Ramayana in simple Telugu, to former MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi in Srikakulam. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Nikku Appanna, a former professor of Loyola College, Vijayawada, at the age of 84, has rewritten the Ramayana in simple Telugu so that children can learn about the epic. The book titled ‘Naa Ramudu’ covers all points of Valmiki Ramayanam which has 24,000 verses divided into seven chapters or kandas.
Mr. Appanna, who hails from Buditi village in Srikakulam district, started writing the entire Ramayanam two years ago and completed the task in August 2026. He strongly feels that the young generation will be on the right path in life if they can adopt the values and ethics of Lord Rama, who faced many obstacles, including 14 years of exile in the forest.
Nikku Appanna, 84, a retired botany professor, with ‘Naa Ramudu’, his retelling of the Ramayana in simple Telugu, in Srikakulam. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
“Children are always curious about the epic work Ramayana. The abduction of Goddess Sita by Ravana, the planning and execution of Lord Rama’s fight against him with the support of Lord Hanuman and other points have been explained in a simple way in the book. The new generation will surely understand all the points easily because of the simplified writing style,” Mr. Appanna told The Hindu.
Born in 1942, Mr. Appanna served as a professor of botany at Loyola College for nearly 35 years. After retirement, he started writing books on various topics. He wrote ‘Bhava Tarangini’, ‘Geya Sudhabinduvulu’, ‘Vyasa Manjari’ and ‘Naa Janmabhoomi-Buditi’, apart from the latest, ‘Naa Ramudu’ which caught the attention of many in Srikakulam district.
Former Srikakulam MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi and Indian Red Cross Chairman P. Jagan Mohana Rao said Mr. Appanna inspired many people through his literary work. “It is not easy to read books at the age of 84. But Mr. Appanna has proved that age is no barrier to good things,” said Ms. Lakshmi Devi.
Mr. Jagan Mohana Rao said that Mr. Appanna served the people directly as a member of the Indian Red Cross (IRCS) Management Committee.
Published – 03 Sep 2026 14:58 IST