Governor Inaugurates Telangana Thalli Statue in Assembly Complex

The statue of Telangana Thalli , a cultural symbol closely associated with the statehood movement, was unveiled at the Telangana Legislative Assembly premises on Monday by Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla . The ceremony, held in the presence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy , marked another attempt by the state government to institutionalise the iconic representation of Telangana’s identity within official spaces.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by several prominent leaders, including Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar , Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy , ministers and public representatives. Leaders present at the event described the installation of the statue within the Assembly complex as a tribute to the struggles and sacrifices that shaped Telangana’s journey towards statehood.

For decades, Telangana Thalli has been seen as a powerful emotional and political symbol for the region. During the later phases of the Telangana agitation, the figure came to represent the aspirations, self-respect and cultural identity of people demanding a separate state. Activists widely invoked the symbol during protests, rallies and public meetings that ultimately culminated in the creation of Telangana as a separate state in 2014 .

The statue installed at the Assembly complex forms part of a broader effort by the current administration to highlight the legacy of the statehood movement. Earlier, on December 9, 2024, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy unveiled another Telangana Thalli statue at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat , coinciding with the anniversary of the Union government’s 2009 announcement initiating the process for Telangana’s formation.

However, the newly designed statue has also become the centre of a political debate. Opposition leaders from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi criticised the design, arguing that it differs from the earlier representation used during their tenure and deviates from the imagery popularised during the statehood movement.

Responding to the criticism, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that despite Telangana being formed in 2014, the previous administration had not officially adopted or unveiled a formal representation of Telangana Thalli. He alleged that the symbol had been neglected for nearly a decade and asserted that the current design reflects the aspirations of Bahujan communities and the broader spirit of the Telangana struggle.

Leaders participating in the ceremony also paid homage to students, employees and activists who played a pivotal role in the prolonged agitation for a separate state.