Ramayana for children: retired professor retells epic in Telugu

At 84, Nikku Appanna, a retired professor of Loyola College, Vijayawada, has rewritten the Ramayana in simple Telugu so that children can know the epic. The book, titled ‘Naa Ramudu’, covers all the points of the Valmiki Ramayanam, which has 24,000 verses split into seven chapters, or kandas.

Mr. Appanna, who hails from Buditi village in Srikakulam district, began writing the entire Ramayanam two years ago and completed the task in August 2026. He feels strongly that the young generation will move on the right path in life when they can adopt the values and ethics of Lord Rama, who faced many hurdles, 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.
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“Children are always curious to know about the epic Ramayana. Abduction of the Goddess Sita by Ravana, Lord Rama’s planning and execution of the fight against him with the support of Lord Hanuman and other points were explained in an easy way in the book. The new generation will certainly understand all the points easily with the simplified writing style,” Mr. Appanna told The Hindu.

Born in 1942, Mr. Appanna worked for almost 35 years as a botany professor at Loyola College. After his retirement, he turned to writing books on various subjects. He has written ‘Bhava Tarangini’, ‘Geya Sudhabinduvulu’, ‘Vyasa Manjari’ and ‘Naa Janmabhoomi-Buditi’, apart from the latest, ‘Naa Ramudu’, which has caught the attention of many in Srikakulam district.

Former Srikakulam MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi and Indian Red Cross Society Chairman P. Jagan Mohana Rao said Mr. Appanna had inspired many people with his literary work. “It is not easy to read books at the age of 84 years. But Mr. Appanna proved that age is not a barrier for good things,” said Ms. Lakshmi Devi.

Mr. Jagan Mohana Rao said Mr. Appanna had been serving people directly as a managing committee member of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).