President Droupadi Murmu releases commemorative coin for NTR amid family drama

The characters of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna played by him became so alive that people started worshipping him, she noted.

She added that NTR also expressed the pain of the common people through his acting.

He spread the message of social justice and equality through his film Manushulanta Okkate (All human beings are equal).

The President said that NTR’s popularity as an actor was matched by that as a public servant and leader.

He created a unique chapter in Indian politics through his extraordinary personality and hard work, she said, adding that he initiated many public welfare programmes that are still remembered today.

The President praised the Union Ministry of Finance for bringing out the commemorative coin. She said his unique personality would always be imprinted in the hearts of the people, especially the Telugu-speaking people.

President Droupadi Murmu released the commemorative coin on Late Shri NT Rama Rao on his centenary year at RBCC. The President said that Late Shri NT Rama Rao has enriched Indian cinema and culture through Telugu films. NTR’s popularity was equally wide as a public servant and… pic.twitter.com/GeF2C3n0dE

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 28, 2023

Also read: When Andhra CM Jagan chose Modi but PM chose NTR

The family drama

Members of actor-politician NT Rama Rao’s extended family attended the event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. (Supplied)

Members of actor-politician NT Rama Rao’s extended family attended the event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Former chief minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu — NTR’s son-in-law — also attended the event.

BJP national president JP Nadda also participated in the event. However, the NTR family faced flak for not inviting his widow Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi to attend the function.

She apparently wrote to the President and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking their intervention to instruct the organisers to include her name in the guest list.

However, it is learnt that while the Centre agreed to print the special commemorative coin and it was agreed to be released by the President, the guest list was prepared by former Union minister and BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari — NTR’s daughter from his first wife Basava Rama Tarakam.

It was on the appeal of Purandeswari that the Union Finance Ministry had agreed to print the special commemorative coin having a face value of ₹100.

Since the children of NTR’s first opposed his second marriage, they didn’t invite Lakshmi Parvathi to the event on Monday.

NTR had 12 children — eight sons and four daughters — from his marriage with Basava Tarakam. Nandamuri Balakrishna, a popular Tollywood actor, is one of NTR’s children from his first marriage. Daggubati Purandeswari and Naidu’s wife Nara Bhuvaneswari are also her children.

Basava Tarakam died of cancer in 1985. He married Lakshmi Parvathi in 1993.

It is learnt that Parvathi entered NTR’s life with the intention of writing a biography of the actor-politician. However, the family of NTR’s first wife never acknowledged his marriage to Lakshmi Parvathi.

On Monday, Lakshmi Parvathi said she was deeply hurt for not being invited to the event. She said that it pained her that the same family members who were responsible for NTR’s death were trying to usurp his legacy by ignoring her.

She also launched into a tirade against Purandeswari and Naidu.

Meanwhile, NTR’s grandson, actor Jr NTR, was also invited to the event, but gave it a miss due to his movie shooting schedule.

Also read: Naidu uses NTR birth anniversary to release TDP manifesto

Jagan takes a swipe

Chief Minister and YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also took a swipe at Naidu for participating in the coin-release event.

Purandeswari had invited all the family members and also those who had a close and long association with NTR — both in politics and movies — to the event.

Jagan, who was in Nagari in the Chittoor district on Monday to participate in a programme, said: “Today, we witness Naidu shamelessly taking part at the commemorative ₹100-coin launch honouring NTR, despite his history of betraying NTR and grabbing his political party.”

Naidu staged a coup in 1995 and took over the NTR-founded TDP as well as the chief ministership of the then-united Andhra Pradesh.

Lakshmi Parvathi would subsequently say NTR lost all interest in politics after this, and died of a broken heart.

“They are the same individuals that snatched NTR’s position in a backhanded manner, stole NTR’s party, and ultimately bore sole responsibility for NTR’s demise,” said Jagan.

“The images you see right now are of them decorating NTR’s monuments and acting respectfully in front of his portrait. We are currently seeing Naidu’s brazen attempt to be a part of the commemorative ₹100 coin honouring NTR,” he added.

Also read: Jagan calls Naidu a grabber for usurping TDP from NTR

The coin

The coin is adorned with a portrait of NTR. It also has “NTR 100 Year Anniversary” imprinted on it, with the dates 1923-2023.

Though the coin will not be in regular circulation in the market, but sold as a collectable by the mint. It can be purchased at any bank or the Reserve Bank of India counter.

Each coin, with a diameter of 44 mm, is priced at ₹4,160. It is composed of 50 percent silver, 40 percent copper, 5 percent nickel, and 5 percent zinc.

Along with the coin, a four-page book detailing the historic life journey of NTR, who is known as the “Telugu pride”, will also be given out to buyers.

Also read: As BJP woos Jr NTR, TDP targets him