It is going to be a memorable day for all the family members of legendary actor and former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh N T Rama Rao on August 28.
President of India Draupadi Murmu invited all the family members of NTR to an event over the unveiling of Rs 100 coin featuring NTR at Rashtrapati Bhavan In Delhi on August 28.
The Centre had developed the coin with the portrayal of NTR as part of the NTR centenary celebrations.
The coin, worth one hundred rupees, has a diameter of 44 mm and has 50 per cent silver, 40 per cent copper, 5 per cent nickel and 5 per cent zinc with one side of the coin featuring three lions and the Ashoka Chakra, while the other side displays a picture of NTR along with text which reads "Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Satha Jayanthi".
The coin would be marked with the years 1923-2023 to commemorate NTR's birth centenary.
The Rashtrapathi Bhavan extended invitation to all the family members of NTR, including his sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. Even popular actors Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram also would be attending.
Needless to say, NTR’s son-in-law and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and his Nara family members also would be attending the event.
But not NTR’s widow Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi. In fact, she was the legally married wife of NTR and he had been with her till he breathed his last. So, naturally, she is terribly upset for not being invited to the event.
Lakshmi Parvati dashed off a letter to the President of India, requesting her to give an opportunity to attend the event in the capacity of NTR’s legally married wife. At the same time, she also pointed out that those who were responsible for NTR’s death got the invitation.
“I am extremely pleased and would like to extend my personal congratulations to the Union Government for releasing a Rs 100 coin in the name of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, in recognition of his contributions to Indian society,” she said.
Lakshmi Parvathi said she had married NR on September 11, 1993 and together they had led a peaceful family life and actively participated in the AP State Legislature election in 1994.
“Under our leadership, the TDP party secured 226 assembly seats out of 294,” she pointed out.
“However, due to a conspiracy orchestrated by his elder son-in- law (Nara Chandra Babu Naidu) in collusion with other family members, power was acquired through backdoor methods. This unfortunate turn of events led to NTR's deep depression, as he expressed his dissatisfaction with his children's families. Tragically, he passed away on 18-01-1996,” she pointed out.
Ironically, the very family members who were responsible for his demise are now invited to the prestigious function of releasing the Rs 100 coin in his memory, she regretted.
She said it was unfortunate that she, being the legitimate heir of NTR and her family had been overlooked.
“As a single woman, I wish to express my profound dissatisfaction with the authorities responsible for this oversight,” she said.
Lakshmi Parvathi requested that the President of India issue instructions to the relent authorities to include her name in the guest list for the upcoming releasing function of the Rs 100 coin on August 28 in the name of NTR.
